Alternative cigarette too good to be true?

Anyone who has ever tried to give up smoking will know just how difficult it can be. Recently, smoking was banned in bars all over Thailand including the popular resorts of Krabi and Samui in an effort to get smokers to quit. However, this act seems to have made little difference, as does the raising of the cost of cigarettes, which has almost doubled in the last few months.

However, a new nicotine gel has just been released that might be the solution to many people’s problems. The gel can be rubbed onto the hands and suppresses the urge to smoke almost instantly. This is particularly good for areas where smoking is prohibited such as in cinemas.

Although this may seem like a miracle solution, not everyone is convinced.

Thailand Health Promotion Institute president Dr Hatai Chitanondh is concerned over the new gel. In a recent interview with The Nation he commented that: “The problem is that there is no research to confirm that this product is really safe. This is not a certified quit-smoking product. So, we need to monitor the product movement closely. Possible side-effects are higher blood pressure and faster heartbeat rate. Such side-effects could be dangerous in people who have underlying diseases.”

It seems we may have to wait a while to see how effective the nicotine gel really is.

-TN