Cold withdrawal is the best way to stop smoking

Fast weaning of cigarettes brings the most success
Are you one of those people who have tried to quit smoking several times in vain? Then there is good news for you now. Scientists found out which method is the best way to stop smoking. However, they would not like the answer, because the experts say that stopping abruptly is the best chance. Of course, this type of weaning also includes the dreaded cold withdrawal with all its side effects.

If you plan to quit smoking, you will have far better chances of stopping smoking from one day to the next. Researchers from the University of Oxford came to this conclusion when they attempted to determine which method was most successful in overcoming tobacco addiction. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Annals of Internal Medicine".

Researchers found in an investigation that people have the greatest success in quitting smoking if they do so abruptly. (Image: Oleksandra Voinova / Fotolia.com)

Scientists advise abrupt cessation of cigarettes
In recent years, the acceptance of smokers has continued to decline. Smoking is generally no longer as widespread as it was 20 years ago. It's not surprising that more and more smokers are trying to finally stop. But how do you best manage the weaning? Abruptly stop or slowly dive down more and more? Scientists from the University of Oxford found the answer to this question in a study. The experts found that an abrupt cold withdrawal is the best way to stop smoking.

Study observed nearly 800 smokers in their weaning
For the study, which ran from June 2009 to December 2011, researchers recruited 796 people who smoked at least 15 cigarettes a day. These subjects had to be willing to stop smoking after two weeks of study, the researchers said. The smokers were randomly divided into two groups. One group should quit smoking abruptly. The other group should gradually stop smoking, explain the doctors. The second group was supposed to reduce smoking by 50 percent during the first week, reducing their smoking by another 25 percent in the second week and then abstaining altogether. Both groups were supported and medics helped with advice to help those affected to quit smoking. Participants also had access to long-acting nicotine patches and various short-acting nicotine replacement therapies, such as nicotine gum and nicotine oral spray, say the experts.

Group with abrupt nonsmokers showed the better results
The participants were examined weekly for four weeks and then later again after six months, explain the doctors. Each assessment asked them how successful their weaning was and whether they had experienced any symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. To allow for an objective determination of progress, researchers also measured the amount of carbon monoxide exhaled by the subjects and the amount of cotinine in their saliva (cotinine is a marker of exposure to tobacco smoke). After four weeks, 39 percent of participants who were starting to quit smoking still did not smoke. In the group of abruptly stopping smokers, the value was even 49 percent, say the experts. After six weeks, the gradual weaning group was at 15.5 percent, compared with 22 percent for the other group, add the physicians.

Get help to quit smoking
Most people are beginning to prefer to quit smoking, even though they were more likely to reach their goal in the group of abruptly stopping smokers, says lead author Nicola Lindson-Hawley of the University of Oxford. Although the study found abrupt cessation to be the more effective method, the authors point out that phasing out cigarettes may still be useful if more people seek help and medication to support their attempt. (As)