First-line treatments to quit smoking

Kicking the habit and quitting smoking means taking on a tough and possibly long journey.

Don’t worry—first-line treatments and pharmacotherapies are effective options designed to help you along the way. 

According to the RACGP, some of the current first-line choices include nicotine replacement therapies, different medications, and counselling support.

Let’s be honest, quitting smoking isn’t a walk in the park, but these methods can really make things easier. 

Only about three to five out of every 100 people manage to quit by going “cold turkey” on their own, which can muck up quitting plans.

One study even found that using these treatments along with counselling can make you three times more likely to quit smoking after six months compared to just going with a placebo.

There are loads of options to help you quit, including some new alternatives if the first ones didn’t quite do the trick. It might be a tough road, but believe in yourself—you’ve got what it takes to get through it.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Nicotine replacement therapy acts to provide your body with the nicotine, without the harmful effects of smoking tobacco.

There are over-the-counter forms of nicotine replacement therapy such as lozenges, patches, inhalators, mouth sprays and gum.

A combination of longer-acting NRT (patches) with faster-acting formats (lozenges, gum, sprays) is recommended as a first-line treatment to quit smoking.

This method of quitting smoking is considered suitable for most people, including teenagers, but check with your health professional before you begin your stop smoking timeline.

Pharmacotherapy

Pharmacotherapy to quit smoking has also been studied extensively and found to be effective and safe for most people.

These products, which include varenicline and bupropion, act on neurotransmitters in the brain to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Research trials have found varenicline, known under the brand name Champix, to be effective in relieving the symptoms of craving and withdrawal. ³

Antidepressant bupropion, under the brand name Zyban, Wellbutrin or Alpenzin, is also effective to reduce cravings and withdrawal impacts and boosting your chance to stop smoking.

Like all pharmacotherapies, there can be side effects. Discuss these with your doctor to determine the best approach for you. 

Counselling and behavioural therapy

Counselling and behaviour therapy can help you overcome some of your psychological dependence on smoking and break the habit for good.

These include assistance from services such as Australia’s long-running Quitline, a telephone hotline to quit-smoking advisers. 

Counselling can help you to prepare to quit and what hurdles to be aware of when you do. Health professionals also help you know what happens after you quit smoking and come up with a timeline.

Together you can come up with strategies to overcome cravings and triggers during the timeline after you quit smoking. This could be delaying that cigarette, avoiding social situations where you might normally smoke, deep breathing or going for a walk.

For women who are pregnant and want to quit smoking, counselling is the recommended first-line approach.