Investigate the Reason for Everything

There are two points to quitting

1. Should yo give up (no brainer)

2. Could you give up (How addicted are you)

Alternative to help quit

Patches

✅ Pros of Nicotine Patches

  1. Steady Dose of Nicotine

    • Provides a consistent level of nicotine in your bloodstream, reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

  2. Easy to Use

    • One patch per day — discreet and simple, no need to remember to take it multiple times.

  3. Helps with Physical Withdrawal

    • Alleviates irritability, anxiety, restlessness, and other symptoms while you adjust to life without cigarettes/vapes.

  4. Non-Inhaled

    • No harm to lungs — unlike smoking or vaping.

  5. Reduces Habitual Cues

    • Breaks the hand-to-mouth habit because you're not holding something (like a vape or cigarette).

  6. Available Over the Counter

    • No prescription needed in many countries.

❌ Cons of Nicotine Patches

  1. Doesn’t Address Psychological Habit

    • Won’t tackle triggers linked to stress, social situations, or routine — so behaviour change is still needed.

  2. Side Effects Possible

    • Skin irritation (redness, itchiness at patch site), vivid dreams, insomnia, dizziness, nausea.

  3. Fixed Nicotine Level

    • May not fully match your cravings — some people feel they need more flexibility.

  4. May Prolong Dependence

    • You are still supplying nicotine to your body, so full independence from nicotine takes longer.

  5. Less Immediate Relief

    • Unlike lozenges, gum, or sprays, patches don’t give quick relief for sudden cravings.

Chewing gum

✅ Pros of Nicotine Gum

  1. Flexible Dosing

    • You control when to chew — useful for sudden cravings or difficult situations.

  2. Oral Fixation Help

    • Helps with the hand-to-mouth and oral habits linked to smoking or vaping.

  3. Fast Acting

    • Provides quicker relief than patches — you’ll feel it in a few minutes.

  4. Portable

    • Easy to carry — convenient in social settings or travel.

  5. Over-the-Counter

    • Widely available without prescription in many places.

❌ Cons of Nicotine Gum

  1. Taste

    • Many people find the taste unpleasant or bitter.

  2. Chewing Technique Required

    • Must be chewed slowly and “parked” between cheek and gum — incorrect use can cause hiccups, sore mouth, jaw ache.

  3. Short Acting

    • Effects don’t last long; frequent use needed to manage cravings.

  4. Side Effects Possible

    • Jaw discomfort, nausea, indigestion, throat irritation, mouth soreness.

  5. Continues Nicotine Dependence

    • You’re still taking in nicotine, so full quitting may take longer.

  6. Potential for Overuse

    • Some people get “hooked” on the gum itself for years.

Vapes

✅ Pros of Using Vapes to Quit Cigarettes

  1. Less Harmful than Smoking

    • Vaping eliminates tar and many toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke — significantly lowers risk to lungs and heart.

  2. Helps Manage Cravings

    • Delivers nicotine to ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

  3. Oral & Hand Habit Replacement

    • Mimics smoking actions — helps satisfy the hand-to-mouth habit.

  4. Variety of Nicotine Strengths

    • You can gradually reduce nicotine levels over time.

  5. Wide Flavour Choice

    • Some people find flavoured vapes more enjoyable and helpful in staying away from cigarettes.

  6. Available and Accessible

    • No prescription needed in many countries.

❌ Cons of Using Vapes to Quit Nicotine

  1. Ongoing Nicotine Addiction

    • Many people stay hooked on vaping — trading one habit for another instead of quitting nicotine entirely.

  2. Health Risks Still Unclear

    • While safer than smoking, long-term effects of vaping aren’t fully known — there are concerns about lung irritation and cardiovascular effects.

  3. Not “Clean” Quitting

    • Continues the behaviour and social rituals of nicotine use, making final quitting harder.

  4. Risk of Dual Use

    • Some end up vaping AND smoking instead of fully quitting.

  5. Potential for Overuse

    • Easier to “graze” all day on a vape and take in more nicotine than with cigarettes.

  6. Costs Add Up

    • Devices, pods, liquids — ongoing expense.

  7. Attractive to Young People

    • Flavours and marketing can encourage non-smokers (especially teens) to start vaping — a public health concern.

Will Power

Is addiction to nicotine a removal of free will?
Addiction reduces or impairs free will because it “hijacks” the brain’s reward and habit systems, making it harder for a person to act on their own values and choices. However, it doesn’t completely erase free will — people can still make some choices, and with support, they can regain greater control (or agency) over their actions.

Is willpower greater than free will?
Free will is about having the ability to choose; willpower is the strength to carry out those choices, especially when it’s hard. Willpower makes free will effective. So, it’s not that one is “greater,” but that they work together: willpower gives force to free will.