Tobacco Ingredients: Why Cigarettes Are Hard to Quit

Whether you started smoking because of peer pressure or a flashy ad with your favourite celebrity, cigarettes themselves are the reason you find it so hard to quit.

As you probably know, tobacco contains nicotine, a highly addictive chemical that makes you feel satisfied every time you smoke.

But here’s the thing: a single cigarette is packed with thousands of chemicals that put you at risk of cancer and other serious diseases.

Most smokers, whether they want to quit or not, know this.

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Even those still smoking see the grim warnings plastered all over cigarette packs, but it’s not enough to break the habit.

So, what makes tobacco so appealing, and why is it so tough to stop? Let’s dive into that in this article.

Easy to Access

It’s been decades since we first learned about the health risks of smoking, yet cigarettes are still easy to get from tobacconists, convenience stores, petrol stations, and just about anywhere.

Surprisingly—and it’s a fact— there’s nowhere in the world where cigarette sales are banned.

Since cigarettes are so readily available, it’s really up to the smoker to take charge of their health and make the decision to quit. 

But it’s not easy when cigarettes seem to be everywhere, tempting you the moment you step outside your door.

Public Portrayal

There’s been a noticeable drop in the presence of cigarettes in TV shows, films, and social media ads.

It’s great that many social platforms now limit the portrayal of smoking and alcohol in their content guidelines.

But we’re not out of the woods yet—cigarette sales are still going strong, and the number of smokers worldwide hasn’t dropped off.

While you might not see smoking as much in mainstream media, the temptation can still creep in when you spot a photo or video of friends and family at a party with beer, food, and cigarette packs on the table. 

If that sounds familiar, it might be best for your health to step back from social media for a while and let your loved ones know that smoking at gatherings makes it harder for you to quit. 

Creating a supportive environment can make a real difference in helping you stay on track.

Flavours and Variations

These are designed to entice smokers, and can make it even harder to quit. After smokers get tired of the plain tobacco flavour, they may feel motivated to try mint/menthol flavours, which are designed to mask the taste of cigarettes. Manufacturers now even produce sleek vogue-style cigarettes to make smoking seem more ‘fashionable’.

Furthermore, quirky and interesting ‘tactile features’ can also lure smokers who have already quit back to smoking, along with non-smokers who feel compelled to try the product. For instance, cigarettes  may have clickable buttons inside them that insert a minty flavour on each stick. 

Large Amounts of Nicotine

Nicotine is the number-one reason why smokers find it so hard to quit. This addictive substance causes immense withdrawals and cravings for people who are in their first month of quitting.

All cigarettes have nicotine, making them highly addictive and difficult to quit. While quitting cold turkey is possible, having the right tools, such as NRT products or pharmacy-sold NVPs, can cushion nicotine withdrawals and improve your chances of quitting.

Secondhand Smoke Triggers

Smoking is a socially acceptable activity in many circles, especially during nightlife activities. A person who wants to quit can easily get triggered by secondhand smoke, even after they’ve stopped foryears. The smell of smoke and the presence of alcohol can cause ex-smokers to salivate and slip up during a night out.

To prevent their triggers from overcoming them, smokers can use NRT products to satiate their nicotine cravings or use prescription NVPs. We’ll talk more about these two tools in the next section.

Can It Be Easier to Quit?

Quit smoking programmes have been around for decades and have helped many people successfully quit. A motivated smoker trying to quit has the best chance of quitting when they work with a GP, as they have the experience and know exactly what you need to succeed.

NRT products come in the form of lozenges, gums, inhalers, sprays and patches that provide you with a small dose of nicotine to keep your withdrawals at bay. While effective, they don’t always work for everyone.

A second option after your GP finds NRTs not enough for your needs are pharmacy-sold NVPs, which you can only buy through a GP’s prescription. These quality products imitate the hand-to-mouth gesture and hit of regular cigarettes, making them a capable tool for quitting. 

Unlike illicit vapes, NVP products sold in pharmacies are made under stringent pharmaceutical standards on the manufacturing process and ingredients, are toxicologically assessed for inhalation, are locally insured, and are specifically designed to help you stop smoking.

The latest Cochrane Review found high-certainty evidence that NVPs are more effective than NRT in helping people stop smoking.

Summary

Tobacco is hard to quit because of its ingredients. Its sale has also not been prohibited to the public despite its clear dangers. That’s why you should be proud of yourself if you’ve started on the journey to quitting – it is a huge achievement, so keep on trying to quit and hold your head up high.

You’re probably reading this because you want to understand why you keep wanting that cigarette despite knowing its dangers. We understand what you’re going through, and we’re here to help.

Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around! 

If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.

Link Reference:

• https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/tobacco-products/worldwide
• https://www.vitalstrategies.org/tobacco-atlas-global-tobacco-users-at-1-3-billion-smoking-among-young-teens-ages-13-15-increases-in-63-countries/
• https://www.cochrane.org/news/latest-cochrane-review-finds-high-certainty-evidence-nicotine-e-cigarettes-are-more-effective