Smokers who seek out treatment to give up the habit are less successful at quitting than smokers who try to snuff the habit without help, according to a new study.
But hold on, say the researchers - do not assume that quitting aids do not work.
Health experts say cessation treatment does help smokers quit. Moreover, a growing body of evidence is proving the effectiveness of different approaches including talk therapy, over-the-counter nicotine-replacement products and prescription medication.
The new study culled data from a government survey of more than 29,000 U.S. smokers. But lead study author Saul Shiffman said comparing the quitting success of smokers who try treatment to the quitting success of smokers who go it alone is like comparing “apples to hippopotamuses.”
Cigarette users who turn to treatment are typically more nicotine dependent - likely hardcore smokers - than cigarette users who try to quit on their own, Shiffman said.
Smoking is a tenacious, complex habit that can grip smokers with both a physical and psychological hold.
“The people who choose to participate in treatment, people who've made the decision to pay for a medication, for example, are some of the toughest cases. They are the smokers who are most vulnerable to failure,” said Shiffman, an addictive behavior researcher at University of Pittsburgh.
“Think of it from the smoker's point of view. Who would go to the trouble to get treatment? It's the people who've realized they can't quit easily on their own, those who've decided they need all the help they can get. That's exactly the kind of person who's likely to have a difficult time quitting,” he said.
The study appears in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The study found that smokers who seek out treatment - whether the help is talk therapy or medication - are more likely to fail but Shiffman said his research suggests that being on treatment is a marker for smokers who are most in need.
About 44 percent of the surveyed smokers reported they had seriously tried to give up cigarettes in the preceding year. Of the smokers who tried to quit, about 64 percent attempted to do so without the help of cessation treatment.