For Smokers
Many Californians, despite their best intentions and despite the pleas of their family members and the hopes of their employers, cannot quit on their own. Most smokers want to quit but can’t; and many smokers have tried to quit but failed. Research shows that smokers who do end up quitting do so only after trying to quit at least seven times.
Nicotine addiction works by causing brain changes that make people want to smoke despite deadly consequences. Within seconds smoking sends nicotine to the brain starting a series of biochemical reactions causing the release of dopamine, giving a feeling of pleasure and calm.
Between cigarettes, the level of dopamine declines and the smoker starts to experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include anxiety, sleep disturbance, poor concentration, increased appetite, depression, restlessness, irritability or aggression, and craving for nicotine. Nicotine is one of the hardest substance use dependencies to break as smokers are literally stuck in a cycle of craving, smoking, calming, and craving.
For smokers who want to quit and motivated to try, research has shown that a combination of medication and behavior modification can increase successful quit rates.
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