Switching cigarettes may hinder the quitting process
For smokers who are trying to quit, their first step is usually the baby step of switching to a low-tar brand. At first glance it seems like the sensible thing to do. Of course they are less harmful than the full strength cigarette so you are decreasing the damage to your lungs. A definite step in the right direction, even if only a small one.
Or is it? Research has shown that smoker’s who switch to low tar brands tend to subconsciously draw deeper in order to intake the same hit of nicotine. This means they take in just as much tar and other harmful substances into their lungs. This means low tar cigarettes have little/no benefit and people who smoke them as a step to giving up are less likely to succeed than those who fully concentrate on quitting altogether.
A recent study aimed to explore whether people who switched to low tar brands were more or less likely to give up than other smokers.
Even though 51 percent of low-tar cigarette smokers had tried to quit, compared to 41 percent who hadn’t switched their cigarette type , their attempts to quit were only about half as likely to be successful.
Only 9 in 100 people who made a switch in their cigarette brand had succeeded in giving up smoking, compared with 17 percent of those who didn’t switch.
On a whole, the survey seems to suggest that instead of switching brands in a bid to quit, you should just focus all of your energy into quitting entirely.
If you want to give up smoking, please visit the homepage of this site to find a counsellor in your area or contact your GP surgery. They can help you to quit. Alternatively, call the NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 022 4332 to find out about stop smoking services in your area.
