Alternatives to Medication

It is possible to quit without using any medications. It can be very hard and uncomfortable. Medication can make quitting more comfortable. The tools and resources on EX Program are designed to help you tackle all aspects of quitting, whether you use medication or not.

It is true for some people, sometimes, e-cigarettes can be helpful to quit smoking. However, some people start vaping to try to quit smoking and stay addicted. Nearly all e-cigarettes contain addictive nicotine. They are designed to deliver high levels of nicotine very quickly. Get information on quitting e-cigarettes here.

E-cigarettes are not approved by the FDA as a quit-smoking aid. There are safe and effective ways to quit that are FDA-approved.

Even though they don't contain tobacco, e-cigarettes also contain dangerous chemicals. Some of these chemicals cause cancer and other negative health effects.

Zyn and other nicotine pouches are not approved by the FDA as a quit-smoking aid. Zyn is not regulated like NRT is. Because they have such high levels of nicotine, many people end up feeling just as addicted to Zyn or other nicotine pouches as they were to any other tobacco product, if not more. Get information on quitting Zyn here.

Zyn pouches do not involve inhaling any vapor or smoke. Since they don't burn tobacco, they’re less harmful than regular cigarettes. The long-term health effects of nicotine pouches like Zyn are unknown because they are a new product.

Hypnosis is a sleep-like state when people are more open to suggestion. The commands they hear when they are under hypnosis are supposed to change their behavior when they wake up. It’s fun to watch on TV. But scientific studies have shown it doesn't help for quitting smoking. Nicotine changes the way your brain works and may be too powerful for hypnosis. It’s best to use the quit methods that science has shown really work. Learn more about nicotine and your brain here.

Some people say that laser therapy and acupuncture can help for quitting. The idea is that they help your body make chemicals called endorphins, which decrease nicotine cravings. But, there's no science that backs this up. Will laser therapy or acupuncture hurt you? No. But they probably won't help you quit either. And they cost money.