February 26th, 2010


The reality is that many people actually have a way to quit smoking. However, the sad and difficult reality is that many of these same people who have stopped smoking end up starting all over again … sometimes in a very short period of time. In the end, the key is to not only quit smoking but to find a system through which you can stop smoking forever.

A Comprehensive Approach Works Best

The typical person who is interested in finding a way to quit smoking usually does just that … he or she selects one tool to use in the quest for smoking cessation. Arguably, this is like thinking that you will be able to build a house using only a hammer. The fact is, the reality is that in order to successfully build a house (a house that will stand the test of time) you require a number of different tools.

The same holds true when it comes to stopping smoking. Those people who really do enjoy smoking cessation success precisely are those individuals that use a number of different tools in order to achieve their goal. In other words, these individuals take what can best be described as a comprehensive approach to smoking cessation.

There is No “Magical Cure”

In this day and age, it is difficult to turn on the television or radio, log onto the Net or pick up a newspaper or magazine without seeing or hearing a new easy way to quit smoking being touted. Unfortunately, time and again smokers from all walks of life can be seen flocking to purchase the latest proverbial miracle sure on the market with the unbridled hope that they will be able to easily, quickly and permanently be able to kick their smoking habit to the curb.

On some level, these various remedies, plans, treatments and programs really end up being rather like the snake oil that salesmen hawked across the country from the backs of wagons for years. In short, these miracle smoking cures are neither miracles nor cures. Rather, they merely cause a pause in a person’s smoking habits for what in many instances amounts to only a small respite from cigarettes.

Dealing with Nicotine

If you are serious about stopping smoking, you do need to understand the pull that nicotine can have on your body. Nicotine is a drug, plain and simple. And, research supports the idea that nicotine is addictive.

Understanding these basic facts, if you really do want to make a clean and lasting break from smoking, it is important that you have a strategy in place to deal with your body’s attraction or addiction to nicotine. In this regard, there are nicotine replacement products that can be useful in weening your system off of the drug itself. However, you must appreciate that nicotine replacement products – while useful – are only part of an overall program that you need to adopt in order to break the smoking cycle once and for all.

Nicotine replacement products allow you to manage the physiological aspects of smoking (your body’s reliance upon nicotine) so that you are able to face down the other factors that made you a smoker in the first instance.

Replacing a Bad Habit with a Good One

Finally, when it comes to finding an effective way to quit smoking once and for all, you need to keep in mind that part of the reason that you used cigarettes (in addition to an addiction or reliance upon the nicotine in tobacco) was the fact that smoking was a habit, albeit a bad one. The best and most effective way of breaking a bad habit is replacing it with a good one.

For example, during those times of the day when you normally would take a break to smoke, instead take a few minutes to walk briskly. Rather than puff on a smoke, eat a few carrot or celery slices. The list of positive or good habits that you can utilize as a smoking replacement is only constrained by your own imagination.

February 24th, 2010

How many times have you said to yourself, â??Iâ??m going to do it this time.â? Youâ??ve tried Nicorette. You used the Patch. Hypno-therapy didnâ??t work either. Cold turkey just made you irritable enough to rip the arms off of loved ones and the hunger pains never went away.  Hereâ??s what could just be a last resort to some.

An E-Cigarette, or electronic cigarette, is an alternative to smoked tobacco products. It can replace cigarettes, cigars and pipes. Also known as a personal vaporizer, it is a battery-powered device used to give measured doses of nicotine by inhaling a vaporized solution. The e-cigarette also gives the feeling of smoking a cigarette physically. The product is smoke and ash free and the smoker is not inhaling the tar and other carcinogens that are potentially life-threatening.

Originally developed in China in 2003, the e-cigarette often resembles the cigarette itself, but the â??pen-styleâ? design is also very popular. They come in both disposable and re-usable forms.

Regardless of design, each product has virtually the same components. The mouthpiece or â??cartridgeâ? is a plastic piece that attaches to the end of the product. The nicotine solution is placed inside this piece. Depending on the type of product purchased, when the solution is gone, it can either be re-filled or replaced.

The heating element or â??atomizerâ? heats the nicotine to a vapor so that it can be inhaled. Most e-cigarettes use lithium-ion batteries. The length of time the battery can last varies due to the many variables involved, including the style of device, amount of nicotine and how much it is used. As with any battery operated device, be prepared to have some extra batteries on hand. Chargers for these batteries can be for wall outlets, car lighters and even USB for your PC.

The nicotine solution itself comes in various â??flavorsâ? and â??strengths.â? Flavors can be anything from tobacco and menthol to chocolate and coffee. The strength refers to amount of nicotine in the solution. These solutions go from nicotine-free to high doses that compare to cigarettes themselves.

The price of an e-cigarette has a broad spectrum based on company and design. A quick scan shows prices anywhere from $45-$300. The cartridges are not as expensive as other tobacco products, but also not nearly as available. You can purchase cigarettes just about anywhere, but these cartridges can only be found online and in some smoke shops. Like cigarettes, you must be 18 to purchase the product.

The major concern with using an e-cigarette as a substitute for actual tobacco products is the lack of data. The FDA issued a press release in July 2009 discouraging the use of these products because they may be â??marketed to young people and lack appropriate health warnings.â? The World Health Organization stated in September 2008 that the e-cigarette is not a legitimate smoking cessation aid. While the use of these products is unrestricted in both the U.S. & UK, there are many other countries where they are forbidden.

Earlier this year, the Electronic Cigarette Association was founded to speak on behalf of the industry and in response to the FDA and other health concerns. Headquartered in Washington D.C., the organization is led by former congressman Matt Salmon.

It is obvious this is very early in the game for the e-cigarette. The producers and manufacturers will continue to refine their product, the health organizations will be right there to make sure it is done correctly. This may not be the right thing for all smokers desiring to quit to use, but for others, it may just be the only thing left. Please make sure you do your research and understand what you are getting yourself into before you decide to use this method of smoking cessation.  On the other hand, smoking itself is deleterious to your health�can this really be that much worse?  I highly doubt it.

For further information about this topic, please contact Dr. Lynn Kerew directly at drlynn@lynnkerew.com or visit her website at http://www.lynnkerew.com.