The desire to quit
When you read the statistics, it's no wonder that many smokers would like to be ex-smokers. According to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on harm reduction, around two-thirds of smokers say that they would like to quit and approximately 75 per cent have tried to stop in the past. The good news is it's never too late. No matter what the age of the smoker or how long they've had the habit, there are still benefits to quitting. The 'Healthy Lives, Healthy People' report states that if a person stops smoking at the age of 30, they will gain 10 years of life and if the smoker is 50 when they quit, they can still expect to gain six years. People often try to quit multiple times before they succeed.
Figures suggest that those who attempt to be tobacco-free using the NHS Stop Smoking Service are more likely to abstain than those who try to quit without any behavioural or pharmacological therapy. However, when it comes to quitting, there is no guaranteed path to success. Just as the reasons and ways people smoke vary, so do the techniques that will help them to stop.
Reflective exercise
Sam, 27, works in an office where no one smokes but him. He pops out for a cigarette at break times and also smokes at home in the evenings. His father is also a smoker. Sam is attending his sister's wedding in a couple of months and knows that only a couple of other guests will be smoking. He anticipates he will find it very hard to quit. On average, he smokes around 20 cigarettes a day.
What other information would it be useful to know?
Sam has a number of motives that should help him to stop or reduce his habit. In particular, he'd like not to be smoking at his sister's wedding. Ask Sam whether he would consider quitting completely. Has he tried before? If so, what happened? Perhaps he can't consider quitting completely just now, but he could consider cutting back or preparing for a smoking-free day at his sister's wedding.
What if:
Sam thinks he might be able to handle not smoking during his sister's wedding. However, he'd like something to help him cope with the cravings during the day and in the lead up to the wedding €“ perhaps a product to chew or suck while he's at his desk.
What would you recommend?
It sounds as if Sam has a good plan. Nicotine gum or lozenges could be a good choice for Sam as he does not smoke according to a regular pattern. These types of products are preferable for someone who is an irregular smoker. Offer Sam the 2mg nicotine gum, lozenge or sublingual tablet. The sublingual tablet or lozenge could be a good option if he wants a discreet product to use when at the office and his sister's wedding. You show him all these products and he opts for the nicotine lozenges.
How would you explain to Sam how to use this product?
Nicotine lozenges release nicotine, which is then absorbed across the mucosa of the mouth. It is important that Sam sucks the lozenge to allow the nicotine to be absorbed. The lozenge is said to release its dose quickly, so this may be particularly helpful for Sam. He should suck the lozenge until the taste becomes strong then lodge it between his gum and cheek. Finally, ask Sam to come back to the pharmacy to tell you how he is getting on and if he needs any further help.