Study says nicotine patches don’t work
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If giving up smoking was one of your New Year’s Resolutions, experts say that nicotine patches won’t make it any easier to kick the habit.
Researchers at the Harvard University School of Public Health surveyed 787 smokers attempting to give up and found that a third relapsed wither they were using nicotine replacement products, like patches, gums and nasal sprays, or not.
They found that heavy smokers who used patches or similar treatments but did not also seek therapy were twice as likely to relapse as those who didn’t use patches at all.
The research, which was published in the journal Tobacco Control, said that the findings “may indicate that some heavily dependent smokers perceive NRT as a ‘magic’ pill and, realising it is not, they find themselves without support in their quitting efforts and doomed to failure.”
However, it’s not all bad news.
Earlier this week, the Daily Mail reported that nicotine patches can improve the memory of elderly people who are experiencing early mental decline.
Lead researcher, Dr Paul Newhouse from Vanderbilit University School of Medicine in Nashville, USA, said: “This study provides strong justification for further research into the use of nicotine for people with early sings of memory loss.”
What do you think is the best way to give up smoking? Let us know below…
Click on the image below to find out which celebs haven’t kicked the habit…
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Supermodel Kate is frequently papped lighting a fag or taking a deep draw on her cigarette. Some gossips have speculated that she smokes more than 80 cigarettes a day. Smoking can prematurely age your skin, so Kate might want to reconsider before it all starts to catch up with her.</p>
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<strong>Kerry Katona</strong><br />
Reality star Kerry has beaten some of her demons, but she’s still holding on to one vice – cigarettes. She told the Daily Express: "I still smoke a hell of a lot because I get stressed.” Go on Kerry – if you can beat your other addictions, you can conquer this one too.</p>
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<strong>Courtney Love</strong><br />
Hole singer and Hollywood actress Courtney is famous for her unconventional lifestyle. She’s been a regular smoker since she first entered the spotlight in the 90s and shows no signs of giving up soon. If she did, within a year she’d cut her risk of heart attack by 50%.</p>
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<strong>Robert Pattinson</strong><br />
This handsome hunk has a brilliant method for keeping his complexion chalky pale for the Twilight films. He’s often pictured having a cigarette on a break from filming, or when he’s out and about off set. Smoking stops oxygen reaching the skin, helping to promote a wan complexion.</p>
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<strong>Lindsay Lohan</strong><br />
Giving up the fags might be actress Lindsay’s lowest priority, after her multiple stints in rehab and her reportedly mounting debts. She’s regularly seen out and about puffing on a cigarette. Lindsay might like to consider that smoking is an expensive vice and giving up could save upwards of £2,000 a year.</p>
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<strong>Johnny Depp</strong><br />
You can’t get much cooler than Johnny Depp. However it appears the laid back actor has one major vice: roll-your-own cigarettes made with liquorice paper. Johnny apparently started smoking at the age of 12 but thinks the habit is "pointless" and is trying to give up.</p>
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<strong>Paris Hilton</strong><br />
The socialite has said in the past that she thinks smoking is "so sexy". It seems naughty Paris Hilton is such a fan of the weed – both the legal and illegal varieties – that she was arrested for allegedly smoking marijuana at a football match in South Africa.</p>
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<strong>Carla Brunei</strong><br />
Life as the wife of tiny yet powerful French president Nicolas Sarkozy must be pretty stressful for former supermodel Carla Bruni. She’s shown no signs of giving up her fag habit; in fact she told Marie Claire years that she wanted "to die smoking, with a cigarette in my hand."</p>
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<strong>Helen Flanagan</strong><br />
Actress Helen, who plays Coronation Street’s teen temptress Rosie Webster, has a penchant for footballers, fake tan, low-cut tops and fags. Thrifty Helen isn’t averse to getting the night bus home after a big night out – think of all the money she could save if she knocked her smoking habit on the head, too.</p>
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<strong>Mischa Barton</strong><br />
Mischa is most famous for her appearance as one of the glossy teens on TV hit The O.C. She’s done a lot of damage to her clean cut image since she left the show in 2006, often pictured smoking cigarettes and dragging heavily on what appeared to be a joint.</p>
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<strong>Taylor Momsen</strong><br />
Actress and pop star Taylor has got the black eye makeup, the suspenders and the stripper heels as part of her bad girl look. She finishes it all off with a fag and has been pictured on stage lighting up. Taylor doesn’t care, saying "I smoke, so what?"</p>
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<strong>Pete Doherty</strong><br />
Rapscallion Pete is often caught with a cigarette in his mouth as he sings and has yellow, nicotine-stained hands as proof of his addiction. Although we doubt Pete’s that worried about it, smoking dulls your sense of smell and leaves you with the permanent scent of eau de tobacco.</p>
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