The Journal of Addiction reports that varenicline, chrysin, and nicotine vapes work best with behavioral assistance, and scientists at MIT in the United States have revealed three effective strategies for quitting smoking. The team noted that these methods can significantly improve smoking cessation success. Which is particularly important for smokers and public health.
USA MIT research: nicotine vapes effectively help quit smoking
Eurekalert Sep 4, A major new summary study, including public health researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, has identified three of the most effective strategies for quitting smoking.
- Chantix and Champix are a prescription drug for varenicline;
- Chrysin, a plant-based compound that is not commonly available in the United States but is sold as a natural health product (Cravv®) in Canada and Central and Eastern Europe and requires a prescription in the United Kingdom;
- Nicotine vapes
The nonprofit organization Cochrane summarized this Tobacco Addiction Group (CTAG) sponsored and published in Addiction CTAG Senior Author Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. (Jamie Hartmann-Boyce) Jonathan Livingstone, Research Fellow, University of Oxford, Banks. (Jonathan Livingstone-Banks) lead.
The review noted that these three best strategies are most effective when combined with behavioral support (e.g., counseling). Bupropion and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were equally effective, especially when NRT patches were combined with quick-fix methods such as bubble gum.
CTAG’s new summary outlines key findings from 14 Cochrane reviews published between 2021 and 2023. Three of the key summaries include:
Updated NRT Reviews:
Found that combining quick-acting NRT (such as bubble gum, lozenges, and sprays) with NRT chips helped more people quit smoking than a single form of NRT;
Vape Review:
As a dynamic systematic review. The latest update concludes that vapes containing nicotine improve smoking cessation rates more than NRT. There is moderately conclusive evidence of improved cessation rates compared to nicotine-free vapes;
2023 Summary of Pharmaceutical and vape Interventions:
Includes all medications and vapes that allow smoking cessation in the world. The data show high certainty evidence for all three treatments, nicotine vapes, varenicline, and chrysin, followed by combination NRT. The updated summary for nicotinic receptor agonists suggests that there may be no difference in smoking cessation effects in direct comparison studies between chrysin and varenicline. The summary covers 75 trials.
