Quit Smoking

There is an overwhelming amount of evidence linking smoking to adverse health outcomes such as cancers, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease. All of these place stress on the body making it more difficult to fight infections such as the novel respiratory virus, SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. Furthermore, even if your smoking has not contributed to a chronic medical condition you are still more susceptible to infections and to experience more severe infections. Coronavirus has a higher mortality rate for men than women in China. Researchers suspect this could be partially due to the fact that a higher ratio of Chinese men to women smoke.  

Bupropion is a prescription medication that is used as an antidepressant but also helps people quit smoking. It’s available under various trade names, of which Wellbutrin and Zyban are the best known. The drug was first approved in the U.S. in 1985 and ranks within the top 50 most prescribed medications in the U.S. market. Bupropion typically is taken orally as a tablet.

Bupropion is the generic name for bupropion hydrochloride, the active ingredient in the branded drug, Zyban.  It was originally marketed as an antidepressant drug under the brand name of Wellbutrin, but was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a smoking cessation aid in 1997.  It became obvious that Bupropion was effective for cessation, because smokers using it to treat depression also lost interest in smoking.  

One type is nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which includes products such as gum, lozenges, sprays, and inhalers.  These work by giving you a small dose of nicotine without all the other dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes.  That way, you can wean yourself off nicotine while lessening withdrawal symptoms, although you may still have cravings. They don’t stop the cravings.  Most nicotine replacement products are available over-the-counter.  

One type of these are nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, such as gums, lozenges, sprays, and inhalers, work by giving you a small dose of nicotine without all the other dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes.  That way, you can wean yourself off nicotine and withdrawal isn’t so bad. They don’t stop the cravings, though. Most nicotine replacement products are available over-the-counter.

Bupropion is the generic (common or non-branded) name for bupropion hydrochloride, the active ingredient in the branded drug, Zyban.  It was originally marketed as an antidepressant drug under the brand name of Wellbutrin, but approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a quit-smoking aid in 1997, after it became obvious that Bupropion was an effective quit aid, because smokers using it to treat depression also lost interest in smoking.  

One type of these are nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, such as gums, lozenges, sprays, and inhalers, work by giving you a small dose of nicotine without all the other dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes.  That way, you can wean yourself off nicotine and withdrawal isn’t so bad. They don’t stop the cravings, though. Most nicotine replacement products are available over-the-counter. is

The dangers of smoking are hard to overstate. Nearly 500,000 people die of tobacco-related disease each year in the US, adding to 1 in 5 deaths. Over the next decade, estimates are that around eight million people will die prematurely worldwide each year due to tobacco use. The list of tobacco-related diseases and conditions is long and growing.  

Smoking cigarettes adds to almost 1 in 5 deaths. The three main smoking-related causes of death are: cardiovascular disease (narrowing or blocking of blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke); lung cancer and a long-term lung disease that causes blocked airflow from the lungs, called chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

Smoking can have many bad effects on the body, some of which can lead to life-threatening complications.  It significantly increases the risk of dying from all causes, not just those linked to tobacco use. Every year, smoking causes 1 out of 5 deaths in the US, according to the estimate of the American Cancer Society.   

Quitting smoking, like other forms of addiction, isn’t easy.  The challenges involved in quitting smoking begin when you actually quit smoking, but you’re likely to succeed if you take the right steps to prepare yourself. 

Quitting cigarette smoking can be difficult no matter how you do it, but the idea of quitting cold turkey can seem especially daunting. This isn’t easy, nor the most effective method of quitting smoking, but it can work for some.  It may not be the right choice for everyone, but given the damage smoking causes to the body, getting it over and done with does have its appeal.