Smoking Cessation Products: The Hidden Dangers
Nicotine Gum...The Patch...Electric Cigarettes... Anyone who has ever tried to kick the habit is probably well aware of the many smoking cessation products on the market.
And with good reason. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 4 to 7 percent of Americans are able to quit smoking without any medication or outside support. With stats like that, it's obvious why smoking cessation products have been in such high demand over the past 50 years.
As the dangers of tobacco use remain highly publicized and smoking bans in more public places continue to grow, more smokers are jumping on the smoking cessation bandwagon. According to the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 68.9 percent of adult daily smokers said they were interested in quitting, and in the following NHIS survey in 2012, 42.7 percent of adult daily smokers had actively attempted to quit in the previous year.
While quitting smoking is one of the best things a person can do for her health, the very tools that assist in the process have some inherent risks of their own. Before starting any new program, it is important that a smoker weigh the risks versus the rewards.