Stop Smoking Product Comparisons
A small caveat before you read the following information. We are not trying to bash any product but rather open your eyes as to what is available - their usual costs - and their success rates. Many of the statements below are opinions we feel are valid, but are our opinions nonetheless. Therefore we recommend you do your own investigation before forming your own conclusions.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Let’s consider nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) right off the bat as these are the easiest to acquire, most highly advertised smoking cessation products available. You can buy these off the shelf at any pharmacy or grocery store.
The main problems with NRT products:
- Nicotine is what you are addicted to - you don’t give a nicotine addict more nicotine just as you wouldn’t give an alcoholic more liquor
- 7 or 14 day supplies - this gives the false illusion that they are less expensive than they actually are. Even though a 6-8 week usage is stipulated they come in 2 week supplies at best. Think like a smoker now. You’ve run out of patches or gum and you really want a cigarette. Do you rush down and buy another box of patches or gum or do you bum a smoke off the closest person? Most smokers have most likely already experienced this exact scenario.
Depending on the source, nicotine replacement products show a success rate of 4-8%.
Costs in our area are about $325 (nicotine patches) to $330 (nicotine gum) for the recommended three month duration. These products do not come with any type of money back guarantee that we have seen.
Zyban
Zyban is another name for Wellbutrin (buproprion HCl) - a powerful anti-depressant. It is effective in a number of cases - 6-12% - again depending on whose numbers you believe. Of all the pharmaceuticals of choice this is the one I would use although the side effects can be a bit unnerving if you are susceptible. Outside of the minor ones like dry mouth and difficulty sleeping, some of the more serious ones include seizures, hallucinations, shakiness and skin rash. Read the information posted on Biovail’s web site for more details.
Average cost of a Zyban prescription in our area is $208.60 for the recommended dosage and duration of use.
Zyban prescriptions do not come with any form of money back guarantee as far as we have seen.
Perhaps in your company or area you have heard that many insurance companies are no longer paying for nicotine replacement therapy and buproprion products because their return on investment (ROI) is too low. Not enough people are quitting when using them. Our insurance company not only used to pay for the use of these products but gave incentives to actually do so. Not any more.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a fantastic tool for calming your mind and body. We had even considered including hypnosis as a supplemental part of this program and may still at some point. What we found is that even though most people would willingly listen to a hypnotherapy recording, most did not place much faith in the process. And if you don’t believe it will work, you’re right, it won’t. The same pretty much goes for everything. If at a later date we do decide to use hypnotherapy as well it will be for additional support only, not to be part of the program core. That is strictly the domain of our step-by-step guide and support system.
Hypnosis programs in our area range from $90 - $125 per session and cost an additional $125 for the post session support tapes or CD’s or a whole lot more as we found out at a recent hypnosis seminar. Click here for details.
Effectiveness seems to be stated on differing internet sites at 4-8%.
Local hypnotherapists generally charge hourly rates for repeat or follow up sessions whereas traveling hypnotists offer free follow up sessions if you are having trouble - the only problem is that the hypnotist usually isn’t around for another year. Suffice to say, most people cannot wait for the hypnotist to return.
Laser Therapy
There has not been enough study done on laser therapy in the use of smoking cessation to judge effectiveness or form a conclusive opinion. However in our questioning of a local clinic we were informed that a session lasts up to one hour but upon deeper questioning we found that the actual time the laser is used is less than 30 seconds overall. So don’t be surprised if the bursts are very short.
And as with hypnosis, how can you remove a multi-decade habit in less an hour?
Laser therapy treatments in our area average $225-$300 and do not come with a money back guarantee as far as we have seen.
Cold Turkey
Ahh - the elusive “throw ‘em away and forget ‘em plan”. Everybody tries it but hardly anybody succeeds. Trying to quit cold turkey without a plan or support is like trying to play the trumpet without taking lessons. You’ll do a lot of wheezing but not much is going to come of it.
On average less than 3% of people are successful at quitting cold turkey and it costs nothing other than the money spent by the other 97% that continue to smoke.
Herbal Remedies
Love ‘em. We think they are far superior to pharmaceutical offerings. That’s why we include them in our program. But - you knew there was a BUT coming - we must stress that these are simply tools to help you quit, albeit very effective ones. It is the guidance you receive that will give you the knowledge you need to prepare to quit.
End the Habit Stop Smoking Program
Every other stop smoking product says it’s easy to quit using their product. Of course it is - for them. They tell you to slap on a patch or pop a pill and then leave the hard part up to you. It isn’t a patch, pill or gum that does the hard work - it’s the system that you follow!
And our system will give you all the guidance, tools and support you need to beat smoking once and for all.
Remember, End the Habit
- uses no nicotine replacement therapy
- no harsh pharmaceuticals
- is less than the cost alone of a Zyban prescription ($208.60); laser therapy ($225); hypnosis session plus tapes ($90+$125); nicotine patches ($325); or nicotine gum ($330)
- will pay for itself in the first month you are a non-smoker - try the Smoking Calculator
- and comes with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
NOTHING
will help you quit smoking more effectively than the
End the Habit Stop Smoking Program!
Don’t wait another day.
