Hours of Operation

Monday - Friday: 9 am to 6 pm
Saturday: 9 am to noon
Closed Sundays and holidays

Please follow & like us!
Follow by Email
Facebook
Twitter
RSS Feed
Subscribe by email
Get new posts by email:
Archives

Smoking Cessation: Now is the Best Time to Quit. By Our Student Pharmacist, Connor Glasgow.

images

Is it the right time to quit smoking?

Am I able to quit smoking?

Where do I even start?

It’s understandable to be hesitant when quitting smoking. The initial cravings, headache, shaking, fatigue, and cough can come on quickly, but so can the benefits to your health.

In a matter of minutes after stopping smoking, your heart rate will return to a normal rhythm.

After several days, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood drops to the same as a non-smoker.

Make it a whole year and your risk of heart attack drops drastically.

At three to six years, your risk of a cardiac event drops by half.

After ten years, your risk of lung cancer drops by half.

After twenty years, your risk for cardiac events and various cancers including esophageal, pancreatic, and throat cancers drops to the same as a person who never smoked.

Quite smoking

With those benefits in mind, there really is no time to waste on the road to recovery.

Here are some steps to get started:

  1. Discuss the decision to stop smoking with your primary care physician or local pharmacist. Make sure to bring a list of your medications with you.
  2. Choose a date to quit.
  3. Have a plan to quit ahead of your date including medication or counseling service support.
  4. Initiate your plan to quit on that date, and continue to periodically follow-up with your primary care physician or local pharmacist.

When it comes to quitting smoking, some of the best aids are found over-the-counter (OTC).

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is the gold standard in smoking cessation and is readily accessible in multiple forms.

Here are some NRT OTC medications to help you quit:

  • Nicotine patches
    • Come in 21 mg, 14 mg, and 7 mg patches
    • Starting dose is determined by number of cigarettes smoked per day
      • Over 10 cigarettes per day: Start with 21 mg patch daily for six weeks, then 14 mg patch daily for two weeks, then 7 mg patch daily for two weeks
      • At or under 10 cigarettes per day: 14 mg patch daily for six weeks, then 7 mg patch daily for two weeks
    • Possible adverse effects
      • Abnormal or vivid dreams (can be alleviated by removing patch a few hours prior to sleep)
      • Skin rash at site of application
    • When removing, ensure to fold the patch inward. Wash hands before and after applying patches.
  • Nicotine gum or lozenges
    • Come in 4 mg or 2 mg gum and lozenges
    • Starting dose is based on when you have the first cigarette of the day
      • If first cigarette is within 30 minutes of waking: Use 4 mg
      • If first cigarette is after 30 minutes of waking: Use 2 mg
    • Dose incrementally by week
      • Week 1 to 6: Use one lozenge or gum piece every one to two hours as needed for cravings (max 20 pieces per day, max of 5 pieces in 6 hours)
      • Week 7 to 9:  Use one lozenge or gum piece every two to four hours as needed for cravings (max 20 pieces per day, max of 5 pieces in 6 hours)
      • Week  10 to 12:  Use one lozenge or gum piece every six to eight hours as needed for cravings (max 20 pieces per day, max of 5 pieces in 6 hours)
    • Possible adverse effects:
      • Irritation of the mouth or throat
      • Jaw ache
      • Dry mouth
      • Hiccups
      • Heartburn
    • Can be used concurrently with patches for breakthrough cravings.
    • Use proper technique with gum which includes biting down until flavorful, then resting between cheek and gum until flavor fades, before repeating until flavor is gone.
    • For the lozenge, do not use if allergic to soybeans.

In addition to NRT, other smoking cessation options are available and require consulting with your primary care physician. These options can include referral for counseling services and prescription medications.

Now is the best time to quit smoking and some of the best smoking cessation aids are available immediately without a prescription at your local pharmacy.

References: 

  1. A clinical practice guideline for treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. (2008). American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35(2), 158–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.04.009
  2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: What It Means to You. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004 [accessed 2022 January 7].
  3. Lexi-Drugs: Nicotine. Wolters Kluwer. Updated 12/29/2021. https://online.lexi.com. Accessed January 7, 2022.

Quit1

 

Post to Twitter

Leave a Reply