How to Quit Smoking

From gum, to electronic cigars to a coughing ashtray, learn about the tools available to help you quit smoking.

How to Quit Smoking Dr. Travis Stork: We have some of the props up here because obviously, with so many smokers, there’s a huge industry out there of things that you can try to quit smoking because a multifaceted approach is necessary, and I'm going to start off because everyone’s probably seen this nicotine patches nicotine gum, nicotine lozenges. We have many people here at the studio we see chewing on this nicotine gum 24/7 because not only smoking and addiction to nicotine, it’s an oral fixation. Anytime someone comes into the hospital who’s a smoker and there in the ER, a lot of times we’ll have t o prescribe a nicotine patch because that abrupt withdrawal of nicotine causes a lot of physical symptoms and cravings. These are obviously some good choices for folks in addition to other possible mechanisms for quitting smoking. Dr. Drew Ordon: You make such a good point. Nicotine is an extremely addictive drug. It is a drug, and the withdrawal from it can be severe. Dr. Lisa Masterson: There are some things over the counter like what I have in front of me now is the EZ Quit tablets and the spray. This is a homeopathic name that you can find in the store. The idea is or what they say is it helps calm your nerves, it detoxes your body and helps curb your appetite and has active ingredients that are numerous as well as it may actually have even a little tobacco. It has tobacco mint as well. Because it’s such a serious addiction, I’d be very careful exactly. Dr. Jim Sears: You can use more than that probably. Dr. Lisa Masterson: You can use this as well. It’s probably not going to do any harm although you should check with your doctor because we have to remember that these homeopathic ingredients can also be very active as well. So, check with your doctor but you're going to need more than this. It is a powerful, powerful addiction. Dr. Travis Stork: And there are thousands of products out there, and you have to use the ones that are proven, and they are all these EZ Quit products. Dr. Drew Ordon: Everybody’s personality is -- Dr. Jim Sears: Then, this is the answer right here. It is the coughing wheezing ashtray, you put this on the table and if somebody gets close to that cigarette or whatever, this is what you hear. That wheezes can cause 0209. Dr. Drew Ordon: Everybody’s different. If I heard that Jim, it would deter me. Dr. Jim Sears: You like smoking, you like go to the ashtray, and it goes off, forget it. Dr. Travis Stork: I love that. Dr. Drew Ordon: That is pretty good. Dr. Jim Sears: Actually, it isn’t pretty bad. This might be pretty effective. Dr. Lisa Masterson: It might be annoying, it’ll definitely decrease you that’s going to get you to quit. Dr. Drew Ordon: And if there’s the 0228 heavy smoking. Dr. Travis Stork: Dr. Lisa Masterson: Yeah. Dr. Jim Sears: Yeah, right, all right. I'm going to give it a 0231. Dr. Travis Stork: The snuggy nose. Dr. Jim Sears: Yeah. Dr. Travis Stork: If you're trying to get someone in your family to quit smoking, what a nice gentle reminder because that’s obviously can't do any harm but you come home and you're smoking a cigarette, what the heck is going on? Dr. Jim Sears: Yeah. Dr. Lisa Masterson: Yeah. Dr. Jim Sears: Okay. Dr. Drew Ordon: This is for Lisa. Dr. Lisa Masterson: How does this work? Dr. Drew Ordon: These are all the E products: E cigarette, E pipe and E cigar. What happens with this is that you actually -- Dr. Lisa Masterson: You actually take a puff on it? Dr. Drew Ordon: It creates vapor that has nicotine in it instead of smoke, and it’s a smoke that contains tar and the other -- what’s in there are 20 other carcinogens that we know are in cigarettes and -- for that matter all -- Dr. Lisa Masterson: No. Dr. Jim Sears: I just knew I just wanted to be a detective. I wonder who -- Dr. Lisa Masterson: Detective Sears? Dr. Jim Sears: I'm going to solve the crime. Dr. Drew Ordon: So this is mentioned for oral sensation. Dr. Travis Stork: That’s going to be a little bit more like one of this nicotine 0328. Dr. Drew Ordon: You are putting something in your mouth, and number two, you're holding on to something so, for some people, especially early on, this maybe a good way to start. Dr. Travis Stork: Well, you know what, all of these are ultimately ineffective if you don’t have a firm commitment, if you don’t have dedication, if you don’t have will power.