New nicotine replacement products offer hope to smokers

WELLINGTON - Researchers from the University of Otago have come up with new ways to help smokers kick the butt.

In their study, smokers gave thumbs up to two nicotine replacement products, which may become more commonly available.

The products come in small sachets, which smokers keep in their mouth, allowing nicotine - the addictive ingredient in tobacco - to be rapidly released.

Meanwhile, the researchers are also launching a second more ambitious study, which will aim to test an innovative new mouth spray to be used every time a smoker has the desire to light up.

“The new Zonnic nicotine mouth spray study is a great chance to not only stop smoking altogether, but also to help other smokers who are desperate to kick the habit and haven’t succeeded by going cold turkey or using nicotine patches on their own,” Stuff.co.nz quoted Otago University’s Wellington researcher Brent Caldwell as saying.

The first nicotine replacement therapy study results, which focussed on small nicotine sachets, found most smokers preferred the new products, snus and Zonnic, to the nicotine gum available from pharmacies and doctors.

The new study is looking for 1600 volunteers in Wellington and Christchurch to take part in a trial to test the effectiveness of Zonnic mouth spray, to be used in addition to the normally vailable nicotine patches. Participants will be given regular counselling to help them quit smoking. (ANI)