I like to google the atrocities of Big Tobacco and the effects of nicotine on the human brain whilst I am having a crave at work. It shuts it up pretty well.
Found this off whyquit.com after reading thru the nuerological study comparisons of weaning to cold turkey quits. I found it eye opening.
Nicotine Warning for Cold Turkey Quitters
The vast majority of new quitters attempt to quit cold turkey and this year cold turkey will generate more successful long-term ex-smokers than all other quitting methods combined. If you are one of them then you need to know that most quitting web sites, including government sites, contain advertisements, quitting instructions or articles that were written by pharmaceutical industry influence for the purpose of getting you to purchase nicotine (which they've renamed medicine) and use it (which they have renamed therapy).
Their super slick marketing is designed to leave you believing that you have very little chance of succeeding unless you rush-out and purchase nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) weaning products such as the nicotine patch, nicotine gum or nicotine lozenge and immediately put nicotine back into your bloodstream. They do not want you to believe in "you." They do not want you to reach for education, understanding, new skills and support, as honest tools that make dreams come true at rates that make those achieved by their products laughable.
Sadly, very few sites share honest and useful NRT data. Those with financial stakes in NRT must keep secret the fact that a March 2003 NRT study review by paid pharmaceutical industry consultants combined and averaged all seven over-the-counter nicotine patch and gum studies and found that 93% of those who "believed" and "trusted" in the nicotine weaning message failed and relapsed to smoking nicotine within six months. Nor will those receiving donations or profits for allowing nicotine to be marketed at their websites warn you that too many among the 7% who do quit smoking for six months have instead become permanent chemical captives to the very product they purchased to help them break nicotine's grip upon their mind. Nor will they tell you that if you have previously tried and failed while using nicotine weaning products that, according to two nicotine patch recycling studies, your odds of relapse during a second attempt may be as high as 100%.
But most importantly, these sites continue to refuse to caution the roughly 70% of new quitters who arrive having quit cold turkey, that if they have remained 100% nicotine free for 72 hours that their blood is now 100% nicotine-clean and that for them chemical withdrawal has peaked in intensity and is now beginning to gradually subside. Any nicotine use at this point will cause chemical relapse that will require them to repeat the nicotine detox portion of recovery all over again. This is the "Law of Addiction."
But take heart if you are quitting cold turkey. According to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Facts Figures 2003 report, 91.2% of all successful long-term quitters quit entirely on their own without using Zyban, Wellbutrin, hypnosis, acupuncture, magic herbs, and without toying with any gradual nicotine weaning products like the patch, gum, lozenge, spray, or inhaler.
You'd think that government researchers would be heavily engaged in studying "their" method of quitting and "their" secrets. You'd think that they'd be developing websites to service the cessation needs of the more than 70% of all new quitters who they know are engaged in a cold turkey quitting experience. You'd think that their sites would have warnings to protect cold turkey quitters from pharmaceutical grade nicotine relapse. You'd think that government and major health non-profits would have lots of articles on how to take the mystery and cold out of quitting cold.
Sadly, it simply isn't happening. The pharmaceutical industry is making billions selling nicotine and nicotine designer drugs to nicotine addicts. I'm afraid their sphere of influence extends far beyond your wildest imagination. They know that the only way to continue to increase market share and profits is by continuing their campaign to destroy the credibility of earth's most productive means of quitting - abrupt nicotine cessation.
I encourage you to educate, support and trust in your natural quitting instincts.
John R. Polito
Nicotine Cessation Educator
