Snus or smokeless tobacco is being endorsed by the Swedish public health system as a better option to smoking. It is a form of chewed tobacco (also known as “snuff” or “spit tobacco”), but unlike chewing tobacco, snus does not require spitting - thus adding to its popularity

In the current pharmaceutical industry, there are several available quit smoking aids; roughly divided into nicotine replacement products (NRP) and non-nicotine products. The different products are used to stop smoking and each carrying with it their own pros and cons. The comparison of the different cessation aids are summarized below

Nicorette gum is another good nicotine replacement product but can cause jaw pain when used excessively. Soft drinks and coffee used before chewing can also affect the rapid relief that you will get so if you need the immediate relief from nicotine, and inhaler might be more effective.

Nicorette inhalers are useful tools and are often preferred because of their subjective resemblence to cigarette use. It should be used by adults up to 12 cartridges a day for up to 3 months. This should be used concurrently with education and medical support.

NicabateCQ has its place for people wanting to quit smoking. Use it to compliment behavioral modification techniques and it should not be used longer than 3 months. For women, they need to think of other ways of quitting if they want to get pregnant or breast feed. But of course it is safer than smoking.

Zyban has been shown to help people cease smoking, and has been long established. Zyban can help people feel alert and energetic and the fact that Australia even subsidizes it means it is an efficacious product.

Drug treatments address the biochemical aspects of smoking, and there are different stop smoking pills available on the market. In order to appreciate the success rate of these pills, we need to deduct the “natural” rate of smoking cessation (which is about 1.5–3% a year). Bearing this in mind, the rate of 15-20% quoted in different studies is significant in concluding the effectiveness of pills and medication in helping people quit smoking. (Hatziandreu, 1990). NRPs like nicotine patches, gum and inhalers which are discussed elsewhere. Below are the different non-nicotine anti-smoking pills found in pharmacies.

A study in Psychopharmacology on July 1 suggests that this vaccine may reduce the need and craving for nicotine. Mark LeSage, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, found that when rats trained to self-administer nicotine were then injected with a nicotine vaccine, they subsequently used less nicotine.

Chantix is designed specifically to target nicotine receptors in the brain and block nicotine from attaching to your brain by binding to the receptors themselves. Although Chantix does not contain nicotine, it still excites the receptors and generates up to 60% of the dopamine levels of nicotine. This quit smoking drug is similar to ‘nicotine replacement therapy’ (NRT) which in theory help smokers stop by providing an alternate source of nicotine but at a reduced amount.

Nicotine replacement products (NRP) (aka Nicotine replacement therapy) have always been part of a smoking cessation armament. It helps reduce much of the psychological and physiological symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal as well as reduces the side effects of quitting smoking. This can increase the chances of quitting smoking. All forms of NRP (gum, skin patchs, nasal spray, inhaler and sublingual tablets/lozenges) are somewhat equally effective and they increase the odds of quitting by 1.5 to 2 fold regardless of setting. (Silagy, Cochrane 2007) This means smokers are much better off with NRT than without.