Have you ever considered using the nicotine patch? If you’re not a smoker, chances are slim, but if you’re someone who smokes and would like to quit… Or maybe you live with a smoker whom you’d like to quit… The nicotine patch might be a helpful option.
It’s been around since the 1980s and has been shown in studies to help curb the craving for cigarettes. The transdermal patch releases nicotine through the skin, giving the body a nicotine replacement while you’re going through the smoking cessation process. Nicotine does not cause cancer.
Studies have shown that this patch nearly doubles the success rates over placebo treatments. So there is something to this. Studies also show that patches are even more effective when used with a short-acting form of nicotine replacement, such as nicotine lozenges or gum, to quell breakthrough cravings.
Nicotine replacement patches and lozenges are available free-of-charge to SCCA patients, caregivers, and family members who receive counseling and for whom nicotine replacement therapy is appropriate. To learn more, visit our Smoke-Free Life Program online or call them at (206) 288-7766.
If you’re not affiliated with SCCA, you can contact the Washington State Department of Health Quitline Service at 1-800-QUIT-NOW for assistance.
While we’re on the topic, studies show that counseling in addition to quit-smoking medications significantly increase a person’s chance of quitting for good.
It’s a challenge to know where to start. Donna Manders, a smoking cessation specialist at SCCA, points to the “Guidance for Smokers on Use of Nicotine Replacement Therapy,” an evidence-based summary that touches upon the real issues many people encounter when quitting.
Good luck! Don’t forget about the patch! And remember, if you are an SCCA patient and would like to quit or would like to talk about the possibility of quitting, call the Smoke Free Life Program at (206) 288-7766. They can help.
