Smoking Cessation at Cincotta Discount Chemist

589 Views 31.05.2023 Posted By: Cincotta Discount Chemist In: Health Services

Did you know that 8 million people die from tobacco smoking each year? Of this, 7 million people die from direct tobacco use, while 1.2 million are non-smokers who have been exposed to second-hand smoke.¹ That 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute the environment every year?¹

Did you know that more than 3 million hectares of land across more than 120 countries are being used to grow deadly tobacco, even in countries where people are starving².

A new WHO report, “Grow food, not tobacco,”² highlights the ills of tobacco growing and the benefits of switching to more sustainable food crops for farmers, communities, economies, the environment, and the world at large. The report also exposes the tobacco industry for trapping farmers in a vicious cycle of debt, propagating tobacco growing by exaggerating its economic benefits and lobbying through farming front groups.

By choosing to grow food instead of tobacco, we prioritize health, preserve ecosystems, and increase food security.

Start your journey to quit smoking, for your health, the health of those you love, and the health of our planet. We know it can be overwhelming, but you’re not alone. You have a team of pharmacists at your local Cincotta Pharmacy here and ready to support your journey. Talk to us about your options, we have a range of products and advice to help you live a happier and healthier life.

Smoking Cessation at Cincotta Discount Chemist

The Cincotta Discount Chemist Smoking Cessation Program is designed to support the 11%³ of Australians who are smokers and need the advice of an accessible health care professional to achieve their goal of quitting. It provides a tailored approach to therapy, addressing individual patient concerns and providing reliable information and encouragement.

Smoking is a behavioural risk that causes the highest levels of preventable disease states and premature death. Although smoking prevalence in Australia has continued to decline, we still have a long way to go.

Our strategies to help support you on a quitting smoking journey include:

Weekly Pharmacist Consultation
Access to join the Cincotta ‘Stop Smoking, Start Today’ Loyalty Club
Nicotine Replacement Products and Strategies
Additional Resources to support you Stop Smoking

If you, or someone in your life is looking for support, your local Cincotta pharmacy provides a trusted destination for smoking cessation advice and products. Visit us in-store to find out more information.

Ways to Quit

Nicotine Patches are a type of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) that can be used to help you stop smoking. The patches help to reduce cravings and feelings of withdrawal by replacing some of the nicotine you would normally get from smoking.

You apply the patch to your skin, similar to how you would use a band-aid and nicotine is slowly absorbed into your body through your skin.

Patches are slow-release which is why the are often combined with faster-acting types of NRT. Which can help to manage some of the other symptoms of nicotine withdrawal when you quit such as difficulty concentrating, frustration, restlessness and anxiety.

Nicotine Mouth Sprays helps to reduce cravings and feelings of withdrawal by replacing some of the nicotine you would normally get from smoking. Use the spray when you feel like smoking, press down on the black button to slide the nozzle into position and, aim it either into the side of your mouth, or under your tongue. Press down on the nozzle, and do not swallow for a few seconds after spraying for best results.

Nicotine Gum is similarly used to help reduce cravings and feelings of withdrawal. Like regular gum, when using nicotine gum, you pop the gum into your mouth and start chewing. However, when you feel a tingling sensation, park the gum under the tongue or between your gum and cheek. Park it until the tingling stops and then start chewing again. You can repeat this process for up to 30 minutes or until the flavour is gone and the urge to smoke has eased.

Use the gum whenever you feel like smoking, if you are expecting a craving to strike, use it in anticipation and decrease its intensity.

Nicotine Lozenges work in a similar way, used as another fast-acting type of NRT. You do not chew, suck or swallow the nicotine lozenge, instead adopt the ‘roll technique’ (or ‘cheek to cheek’ technique as it is also known). Place the lozenge in your mouth between the gum and the cheek and roll it around the mouth from time to time until it dissolves completely. This should take around 15 to 20 minutes.

Nicotine Inhalators may look like a cigarette, but they are used differently. Use the inhalator when you feel like smoking, take short, shallow, and frequent puffs, like sipping a straw. You need to take about eight to 10 times as many puffs on the inhalator as you would for a cigarette, so that's about 60 to 80 puffs.

When using fast-acting NRT such as mouth sprays, gum, lozenges or inhalators, you should avoid eating and drinking as thy don’t work as well. Some types of acidic drinks like coffee, fruit juice, soft drinks or beer can affect how well the lozenge works. Wait for 15 minutes after having these drinks before using the lozenge.

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