Thank you for the uninformed handling of nicotine addicition throughout this article. Currently, there are no known cures for nicotine additiction, just like there are no known cures for alcohol addicition, or heroin addicition. The only recommendations are either replacing the addictive substance (methodone for heroin, for instance), discontinuing use and therapy (either individually or by sitting in a circle and saying "Hi, my name is Bob, and I'm an alcoholic".).

Even if nicotine was banned tomorrow world-wide, there would still be millions, if not billions, of nicotine addicts struggling daily with their addiction. They may not be actively using, but that does not remove the addiction. Therefore, it only makes sense when a spokesperson for Obama says that he struggles with it every day. He does, whether he's had a drag today, last week, last month, or a year ago. Sure, he's not constantly having cravings. But, stress at the wrong time coupled with whatever other triggers he may have, and bam, he's bumming a cigarette off the nearest smoker.

We've all been there. This is what they mean when they say nicotine is addictive. And, no, smoking cessation products do NOT cure the addiction, since they contain nicotine. They only prolong the actual withdrawl from nicotine consumption.

Please stop buying in to the tobacco industry's information about how to get off nicotine, because they don't want to make it sound any worse than they have to.

Dan

The only way to quit is cold turkey. The nicotine patches/gums/sprays do not work. They give a dose of nicotine sure, but they do not get rid of the smoking habit. It is not just nicotine that is addictive but the actual act of going for a cigarette, putting it into your mouth, feeling the smoke and holding it in your hand. It is the same as biting nails..it is very had for a nail biter to quit the habit and requires much self control.

I smoked for 7 years and had to quit cold turkey. It helped to quit together with my now husband. At times I wanted to tear my hair out and chew through pens. That feeling past in a few weeks however, but I still crave a cigarette if I am ever out drinking and see other people smoke.

For this reason, cigarettes can not be compared with marijauana as well. Ask anyone who smokes weed regularly what happens to them if they are unable to get any for a while...its a bummer but no big deal. they do not go through withdrawal symptoms.

Cigarettes are an aweful aweful substance.

"Ask anyone who smokes weed regularly what happens to them if they are unable to get any for a while...its a bummer but no big deal"

Heh heh heh wanna bet?

"They give a dose of nicotine sure, but they do not get rid of the smoking habit."

The same can be said of any habit. Compulsions can be swapped. If the tobacco companies pioneer smoke-free products, what's the harm? Is nicotine any worse for children than Prozac or Ritalin (speed) ?

Ian Blokesworth:

"They give a dose of nicotine sure, but they do not get rid of the smoking habit." The same can be said of any habit. Compulsions can be swapped. If the tobacco companies pioneer smoke-free products, what's the harm? Is nicotine any worse for children than Prozac or Ritalin (speed) ?

Absolutely. I'm not aware of anyone who is hooked on these drugs and can't get off.

Eventually the addicts will die off. I think it would be nice to let them a little longer by replacing the deadly effects of smoking with the benign ones of chewing gum. They are still addicts, and always will be, but they will live longer. Must the addicts be doomed to death by cancer just because they were stupid enuff to become addicted?

Ian Blokesworth:

"They give a dose of nicotine sure, but they do not get rid of the smoking habit." The same can be said of any habit. Compulsions can be swapped. If the tobacco companies pioneer smoke-free products, what's the harm? Is nicotine any worse for children than Prozac or Ritalin (speed) ?

I think what Nasochkas was trying to say was that there is a difference between the symptoms of a "bad habit" and a drug addiction. Any easily repeated behavior can become a compulsion, in that you do it without thinking, and by the time you think NOT to do it its too late. But drug and alcohol addictions result not just from compulsive behavior, but from withdrawal symptoms. When you've been abusing certain substances for long enough, trying to quit or scale back can make you feel worse than when you were taking them. It's like your body is actually punishing you for not taking the substance. The problems with patches and inhalers and the like is that they keep nicotine in your system, which still keeps you "hooked". The best way to quit smoking is to get it all OUT of your system, and endure the resulting pain until the body is accustomed to not having nicotine anymore.

I agree. I'm 17 days smoke free, although this isn't the first time I've quit. I honestly don't know if it will be my last.

The problem with cigarettes is that they don't kill you instantly. You have to smoke them for like 40 years before you die. So I didn't really quit for health reasons. I quit because I wanted to save money and because I got sick of my breath smelling like old smoke, and having a really dry mouth in the morning.