For many people the only way they feel they can quit smoking is to chew nicotine gum. I know when I was trying to quit many years ago I tried the gum but found it tasted too vile! The latest findings of the Medical Research Council however have left me relieved I didn't take to it. It is now believed that the levels of nicotine in lozenges and chewing gums could actually increase the risk of mouth cancer. Although cigarettes are obviously more harmful, in a bitter twist of irony, it seems the very things sold to us to help us be healthier may actually do us harm. It was previously thought that nicotine alone didn't cause cancer, but it was the tar and carbon monoxide in cigarettes themselves.
There are many other alternatives to help quit smoking, and Croydon's Healthvibes clinic offers natural methods without the use of patches or gums - check out www.healthvibes.co.uk . Ultimately it boils down to what works for the individual - I ended up going cold turkey but that was after several demoralising false starts. If you feel like you need help or support, investigate all the options. Visit local clinics like Helathvibes, speak to the NHS, speak to people you know who have quit. Go public or keep it private, bu have the confidence to know you can do it if you really want to.
Good luck!
Katrina
