Debunking Myths About Nicotine Replacement Therapy: What You Need to Know?
Every research that you come across regarding smoking highlights the negative implications of the habit. Be it the impacts on the major organs like the lungs, heart and brain or the impacts on the mental well-being; the habit is not only addictive but destructive too.
With the advancements in medicine, new techniques are developed to help overcome this habit. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is one such intervention. Finding “3 Reasons Why Smoking is Bad” won’t be difficult, much like the series of myths surrounding NRTs and their effectiveness in helping people quit smoking.
If your mind is riddled with these myths and you instead want a fact-check about NRTs and how they can be beneficial for you, this guide will explore them all.
Myth 1: "Nicotine Replacement Therapy Is as Addictive as Smoking"
The term “nicotine” in NRT is enough to trigger the minds of several. Thus, one of the most common myths that people have about NRTs is that it is as addictive as smoking and makes it impossible to quit the habit in the long run. This idea stems from the idea that NRT contains nicotine, which is why it must carry the same risks as a cigarette.
The truth is that even though NRTs contain nicotine, it is in controlled dosage. Furthermore, the nicotine in them is developed to hit slowly instead of “all at once”, much like what happens when you smoke. It is this controlled release of nicotine which eventually reduces nicotine dependence and helps people overcome the habit for good.
Myth 2: "NRT Isn’t Effective for Quitting Smoking"
There is a cohort of people who believe that NRTs are placebo, meaning that they don’t do much in helping people with their quitting journey, which is far from the truth.
In fact, studies indicate that NRTs are one of the most effective ways to quit smoking gradually. Not just that, people using NRT are up to twice as likely to quit smoking compared to those who attempt quitting without it. Furthermore, when NRT is combined with other quitting strategies like counselling and medications, the effectiveness of the cessation plan is a lot more profound.
With NRT, smokers get to opt for a “step down” approach where they get to reduce their nicotine intake gradually over a few days or weeks until they are confident to quit the habit for good.
Myth 3: "NRT Is Just Substituting One Addiction for Another"
A lot similar to people assuming NRTs are “addictive,” many people think that when you are opting for NRT to quit smoking, you are swapping one addiction for another, which is far from the truth.
While NRT does involve using nicotine, it’s meant to be a short-term aid to quit smoking, not a lifelong solution. The idea behind NRT is to slowly reduce the body's dependence on nicotine without exposing it to the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes.
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding NRT is that the nicotine present in it will make people addicted to the habit, which isn’t what happens. The controlled dosage of nicotine helps people wean off their smoking habit gradually. Also, most NRTs come with a recommended period to stick to.
Myth 4: "Nicotine Itself Causes Cancer"
Nicotine, which is the primary addictive chemical in cigarettes, is not the sole carcinogen, contrary to what many people think. Some other chemicals in cigarettes, like tar, formaldehyde, benzene, and hundreds of toxic substances generated through combustion, are the primary carcinogens.
So, for people who think that nicotine causes cancer, it is common that they also believe that being on NRT will impose the same risks. NRT products like Nicotine Chewing Gum deliver the nicotine in controlled dosage without any of these additional chemicals. This explains why NRT is considered an effective way to quit smoking and lead a healthier life.
Myth 5: "Using NRT Means You’re Not Strong Enough to Quit Cold Turkey"
When it comes to quitting smoking, there are a lot of stigmas surrounding it. Some people have this misconception that getting some kind of “aid” during your quitting journey means you aren’t strong enough to quit the habit cold turkey.
While some parts of this statement might be “factually” correct, we have to understand that quitting an addictive habit as harmful as smoking is not an easy process. Studies have shown that going “cold turkey” has low success rates—only about 5-7% of smokers can quit successfully without any support or aid. So, relying on aids like NRT can be a great way to navigate through these challenges and manage the addiction proactively.
Myth 6: "NRT Is Only for Heavy Smokers"
NRT isn’t limited to heavy smokers. It is suitable for anyone who has built nicotine dependence and wants to overcome this addictive habit for good gradually.
While the intensity of the withdrawal symptoms might be too aggressive in heavy smokers, they are not absent in light or moderate smokers. So, for a habit that you have built over the years, quitting it suddenly can lead to withdrawal symptoms that affect you physically and mentally. In such cases, NRTs become the crutch you need to get you to the finish line and quit the habit for good.
Myth 7: "You Have to Choose Just One NRT Product"
When it comes to nicotine replacement therapy, it is available in various forms, including nicotine gums, lozenges and patches.
It’s common and often more effective to use a combination of NRT products, especially for those with strong nicotine dependence. For example, a person might use a nicotine patch for continuous support and combine it with nicotine gum or lozenges to handle sudden cravings. This situation is known as combination therapy and is believed to be effective in giving up on this habit.
Final Words
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) plays a crucial role in your journey to quitting smoking. However, the effectiveness of this product or aid is often shadowed under the mountain of myths. So, if you have been hearing these irrelevant myths and misconceptions surrounding NRTs and have been looking for ways to find the factual truth, this guide covers most of them in detail.