Nicotine-replacement products in smoking cessation: a review

Smoking cessation programmes have gained greater prominence in Singapore in the face of growing desire among smokers to stop smoking. There exists a whole plethora of different methods which are employed in smoking cessation; this reflects the fact that smoking is a compulsive habit which is difficult to stop. Most attempts at smoking cessation fail, and the failure is largely attributable to the addictive properties of nicotine, which causes a withdrawal syndrome when the body is deprived of it. A host of medications have been used in the past in an attempt to alleviate this withdrawal syndrome. Of these products, perhaps the most promising are the nicotine-replacement products. These products consist of nicotine which is delivered through contrasting delivery systems viz polacrilex gum, transdermal patches, nasal sprays and inhalers. A review of recent clinical trials assessing the efficacy of the nicotine gum and the transdermal nicotine patch was conducted. Of the two products, the transdermal nicotine patch seems to have superior pharmacokinetics and fewer side-effects, and may well be the product of choice.