New Risks for Nicotine Treatment: Stop Smoking

Chantix is a most popular drug, available to help people stop smoking. Although recently tested, and found acceptable, by Ontario, Canada for use in a publicly funded nicotine withdrawal program, new risks have now emerged that cast into doubt the wisdom of the Ontario decision. see article

According to Dr Sonal Singh of John Hopkins University, Chantix that is already linked to depression and suicide – is now linked to heart disease - the very problem that smokers suffer from, that by using drugs such as Chantix, they are trying to overcome.

The new analysis, by Dr Sonal Singh, links taking Chantrix to a seventy two per cent increase in the risk of heart problems, with Chantix use.

Pfizer, the manufacturer of Chantix disputes the research of Singh, and attempts to minimize increased heart disease as a risk of using Chantix. Chantix remains on the market.

However, Singh does not stand alone in his critique of Chantix, as other researchers have also implicated Chantix in incidents of extreme violence – physical abuse, physical violence and homicide. This research follows on from earlier research that implicated Chantix in violent and aggressive thoughts. see article:

Arguing about associated risks and dangers when using any form of anti-smoking medication to treat nicotine addiction fails to take the bull by the horns. The issue is not about smoking, or nicotine, but helping people to discover the root causes of their addiction, and provide them with help to resolve it.

Addictive smoking is for the purpose of inhaling nicotine and it is always done for a reason. Cigar or cigarette smoking, of a compulsive, addictive nature is only a symptom of an underlying distress in the person smoking. Cigarette smoking is calming, soothing and stimulating, and resolves the persons distress.

When a person is smoking addictively, it is to resolve emotional feelings. They will have a problem that is likely to be causing them to have intensely negative feelings, such as frustration, anger, resentment and rage.

Nicotine stimulates dopamine, a feel good chemical in the brain. Addictive smokers are self medicating to make themselves feel empowered over whatever or whoever it is that is making them feel disempowered. Smoking, using nicotine, in extreme cases, moderates feelings of impotence, anger, rage, and can be used to abate symptoms of mental illness. Whatever the extent of emotional feelings, smoking to inhale nicotine is always a response intended to relieve emotional tension.

Therefore it is never enough, nor it is ever safe, to give a heavily addicted smoker any kind of drug, or hypnotic treatment, that has the purpose of denying to the smoker the satisfaction that he seeks, indeed craves, by using nicotine.

Denied the satisfaction of nicotine stimulation, that smoking cigars or cigarettes brings – nicotine addicts might rapidly encounter feelings of depression, suicidal thoughts, contemplate murder and greivious bodily harm, dream violent dreams that fail to resolve, their underlying tension.

Drugs such as Chantix, or Zyban, might help some people, whose nicotine use is more related to habit and boredom, (as is recorded, around 20% of the people who use them), but others, who suffer from more extreme emotions, that they use cigarette smoking to control, denied a release in smoking, will simply boil up inside.

Hypertension and stress might increase to a level, that can only be relieved by committing suicide or murder, or at least some violent acting out of pent up feelings of frustration and aggression. see related article:

In fairness to Chantix and Zyban, these drugs don’t cause psychosis, murder, or suicide, their use is well intended by people who don’t understand the nature and causes of nicotine addiction, and the immensely powerful emotional feelings that cigarette smoking and nicotine addiction can hide.

Heavy use of nicotine and nicotine addiction is a solution to feelings of unrest that in extreme cases can feel persecutory. Without their supply of nicotine, people are in extreme emotional pain. Anti- smoking drugs take away the remedy, without providing a cure, denying people their usual mode of dealing with their feelings of depression, anxiety, impotence and rage.

There is a better answer, a more complete solution to the risks and issues involved when people want to give up heavy, addictive smoking.

Comprehensive alcohol and drug addiction recovery programs can help people to recover from nicotine addiction, and to resolve completely all the emotional issues that cause them to be addicted to nicotine.

Comprehensive detox from nicotine is 100% drug free and safe - high levels of nutrition, personal support, and plenty of rest and sleep help people to recover and detox completely from nicotine stimulation, with all chemical residues, from nicotine and tobacco removed from the system completely with the Hubbard method of low heat sauna.

People who want to give up smoking, for good health and pleasure, will be best served by a comprehensive drug addiction recovery program, rather than anti-smoking drugs.