One-a-day smokers 'feel they quit'

More than half of smokers who light up once a day believe they have quit, according to a poll. Some 51% do not consider themselves smokers even though they have one a day, while one in eight (13%) believe they have given up but still admit to smoking the "odd one". Here at the Smokers' Clinic we know all too well the dangers of having the "odd one" and how it very often leads to more. Read the full report here or contact us now on 0207 882 8230.

Quit Smoking 101

The Smokers' Clinic likes the comprehensive resource provided by about.com and their smoking blog which can be found here. To get started call the Smokers' Clinic today on 0207 882 8230.

Plain Packaged Cigarettes?

An example of the plain packs in Austalia

An interesting article in the Guardian about the plain packaging of cigarettes. The man behind the plain packs, which are already standard in Australia, talks about the rationale of the idea and what we might expect in the UK.

More Response to Recent NRT Study

Response to the recent NRT study that the media picked up on continues. The British Medical Journal published a letter looking at the methodology of the research that can be read here with further online comment looking at the interpretations of the findings here.

Tabex (Cystisine)

A few smokers have started asking about Tabex (Cystisine) after some recent media coverage. What exactly is Tabex? Tabex is a smoking cessation medication developed in the 1960s in the Balkans. It has been found to be effective in 5 Eastern European trials and more recently in a large trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine (West et al, 2011), if you would like any further information the research is well summarised on the NHS website here. The medication may have a similar effect to Champix, but it is not yet licensed in the UK. Although an exciting possibility, it probably won’t be licensed in the UK for some years due to little pre-clinical data and the current drug regulation rules. The Smokers’ Clinic would like to emphasise that you should not attempt to buy Tabex online as you never know exactly what you are getting, but if you are interested in quitting smoking feel free to contact us on 0207 882 8230 and we can advise you the best treatments currently available in the UK.

Don't live near the Smokers' Clinic? Don't worry!

If you don't work or live within distance of the Smokers' Clinic, behind the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, London, don't despair. This link here will take you to the excellent smokefree NHS website and by entering your postcode you can find out your nearest specialist stop smoking service.

NRT Effectiveness

The media has recently reported on a study supposedly showing the ineffectiveness of Nicotine Replacement Therapies - so products like Nicotine Patches and Nicotine Gum. Here at the Smokers' Clinic we think Prof. Robert West, expert in smoking cessation and tobacco control, sums up well what is wrong with the study.

E-Cigarettes - Part 1 - Safety

More and more people are using electronic cigarettes, but they are still relatively new products and not a huge amount is known about their safety. Here at the Smokers’ Clinic we have a dedicated researcher studying E-cigarettes. Unlike normal cigarettes there is no combustion, they only produce vapour, and they have no other tobacco chemicals. Additionally they can be purchased with differing levels of nicotine, including nicotine-free. Research into the safety of e-cigarettes is ongoing but no serious risks have been documented so far. There is little doubt that they are an order of magnitude safer than conventional cigarettes. Whether or not they are an effective aide in quitting smoking is another question – to be addressed in Part 2!

Second Hand Hookah

Smoking hookah (shisha) pipes is often perceived as a healthier alternative to cigarettes due to the sweet taste. However these water pipes are even more toxic - even for bystanders. A study found that those in hookah bars who did not actually smoke the pipes still inhaled enough toxins to give them carbon monoxide levels of a cigarette smoker. "Just one night at one of these bars can be the equivalent of inhaling an entire pack of cigarettes" - says Richard D. Hurt - director of the Nicotine Dependence Center at the Mayo Clinic.

Research Participants Wanted

The Smokers’ Clinic is now recruiting for a clinical trial of matching the dose of Champix (a smoking cessation medication) to individual smokers as opposed to providing the same dose to everyone. To find out the details of this study and whether you are eligible to participate call now on 0207 882 8246.