Despite help on offer, many smokers prefer to quit on their own – here’s why

Abstract

If you smoke more than ten cigarettes a day or have experienced cravings while trying to quit, your doctor has probably recommended a cigarette substitute such as nicotine patches or gum to help you. But our research suggests most Australians don’t want to quit smoking this way, and continuing to make these substitutes (pharmacotherapy) more affordable and readily available is not necessarily going to persuade smokers to quit. Pharmacotherapies are government-subsidised and widely available to all Australian smokers. Nicotine-replacement therapy (such as gum) has been available from pharmacies since 1997. Zyban®, an oral prescription drug to reduce cravings and other withdrawal symptoms, has been subsidised via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) since 2001. Champix®, a drug that reduces the pleasure from smoking, has been available since 2008. Patches have been subsidised on the PBS since 2011. Even supermarkets and convenience stores have sold nicotine-replacement therapies since 2006. This is all based on the assumption by researchers and health-care practitioners that if we provide smokers with effective interventions they will seek them out to quit smoking. Turns out, they often don’t. The majority of smokers in Australia still choose not to use assistance to quit. Approximately half to two-thirds quit unassisted and about half who attempt to quit do so unassisted.