Smoking - Quit Gradually or Quit 'Cold Turkey'

Here’s the good news! A Cochrane review found both methods are equally effective.

Lindson, Aveyard and Hughes evaluated 10 studies with 3,760 participants to see if reducing to quit is at least as successful as abrupt quitting.

Pooled results found that neither reducing nor abrupt quitting produced superior quit rates.

This was true whether nicotine replacement therapy was used as part of the intervention or not, and whether participants were offered self-help materials or behavioural support.

The studies all differed on the instructions given to participants on how they should reduce the amount of cigarettes smoked. For example, one study asked them to reduce their smoking by 50 percent over four weeks and then quit completely. Another study asked participants to reduce their smoking by five to 10 cigarettes per week over five weeks until they were not smoking at all.

The choice is yours. Reduction is as effective as quitting abruptly.

Decide today. For your health, CLICK HERE

Decide now for the health of your immediate family members. Not forgetting your friends and the rest of us.

Lindson N, Aveyard P, Hughes JR. Reduction versus abrupt cessation in smokers who want to quit. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD008033. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008033.pub2.