How To Stop Smoking With The Help Of Using Nicotine Pouches

Quitting smoking is one of the hardest habits to break, as the main ingredient, nicotine, is incredibly addictive. Anyone who has tried to ditch their cigarettes in the past will know how horrible the withdrawal symptoms can be, making it very difficult to stick with.

That’s why more than half of quitters use smoking cessation aids when they stop smoking. According to a recent Public Health study, ten per cent of ex-smokers try two and 3.9 per cent have a go with three or more.

The most commonly used aid are nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), with almost a quarter choosing these to keep them off cigarettes. 

Why do NRTs help smokers to quit?

NRTs are some of the most effective aids for smokers, as they enable them to get a nicotine hit without the nasty effects of tobacco. 

There are significant negative health repercussions of inhaling tobacco, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, fertility problems, premature ageing, and an array of other issues. It can even cause erectile dysfunction, hearing loss and sight problems. 

Therefore, giving up tobacco from cigarettes will substantially improve a person’s health. According to the NHS, in as little as 20 minutes, pulse rates will start to return to normal; in 48 hours, carbon monoxide levels will be the same as a non-smoker; and blood circulation will improve in just two to 12 weeks. 

Lung function increases by up to ten per cent in three to six months, and heart attack risk halves after a year. After a decade, the chances of dying from lung cancer halves compared to what it is for smokers. 

Using NRTs means anyone who has got used to having nicotine through cigarettes can at least improve their health by getting rid of the tobacco content. 

Although it won’t help to break habits such as holding something between your fingers or the dry hit against the back of your throat when you smoke, it will help to avoid the nasty effects of nicotine withdrawal. 

These include irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping, weight gain, anxiety, depression, as well as huge urges to smoke. 

Due to these horrible sensations, the success rate for quitting smoking is just eight to nine per cent. It can take over 30 attempts to be successful when quitting because people can’t cope with these unpleasant side effects.

How do nicotine pouches work?

Nicotine pouches are one of the most popular NRTs, as they enable smokers to carry on getting some nicotine, which they have likely become addicted to if they have been smoking for a long time. 

These contain nicotine powder, flavourings, and other ingredients. It is consumed orally, with the powder dissolving in the mouth. 

Therefore, the nicotine becomes absorbed in the body through the lining of the mouth and the gums. 

The strength of the powder will vary between products, but some contain as little as 6mg of nicotine per pouch. This means that quitters can reduce the strength of their nicotine over time, helping themselves wean off nicotine at a rate that suits them. 

Instead of going cold turkey like they would when they stopped cigarettes, nicotine pouches and other NRTs allow them to control how much nicotine they are consuming so they can reduce this gradually. This will help the withdrawal symptoms to become more manageable and easier to withstand. 

A pouch with a low dose of nicotine, such as 6mg, is one-tenth of the nicotine a smoker would get from a packet of cigarettes. Therefore, it enables smokers to enjoy a nicotine hit at lower and lower doses. 

There are also pouches that have a stronger dosage of nicotine, such as 30mg per pouch, which are best suited to those who have just given up smoking, as they will be able to get the same feeling from one pouch as they would from half a packet of cigarettes. 

As smokers are likely to have built a tolerance to nicotine over the years, starting at a higher strength will satisfy their craving better, before they can wean themselves down. 

You can even get different flavours of pouches, which helps to disassociate nicotine with the smell and taste of cigarettes. Whether you choose cherry cola, mint, blackcurrant or mango flavour, ex-smokers will begin to have a much more pleasant experience when they consume a pouch. 

Another option is to use an e-liquid vape that has nicotine in it, which also gives ex-smokers something to hold in their hand - a habit they have become used to while smoking cigarettes.