Scientists have found out how best to quit smoking

Action against smoking in Warsaw, Poland / ITAR-TASS / EPA / JAKUB KAMINSKI

Researchers from Oxford University , according to the results of their experiment with smokers trying to quit a bad habit, found that those who quit smoking abruptly and immediately, and not stretches the process, trying to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked.

The experiment involved 697 people. To combat smoking, they could use psychological counseling, medications, nicotine replacement therapy (plasters, chewing gum, etc.). Half of the subjects quit smoking sharply, the second tried to gradually reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day. To verify the results, in addition to interviews, scientists measured the level of CO in the air exhaled by smokers.

Four weeks later, half of those who quit smoking abruptly showed positive results. Of those who gradually dropped out, only 39% achieved success. As a result, it turned out that the probability of successfully quitting smoking increases by 25% in the event of a sharp cessation of smoking.

According to research leader Nicola Lindson-Howley, people who quit smoking are prevented by the fact that they have to take care of counting the number of cigarettes, which adds to the burden of getting rid of the bad habit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, 420,000 people die from smoking in the United States each year, representing almost 20% of all deaths. At the same time, almost 17% of the country's adult population smokes. In Russia, this figure is much larger, and approaches 34%.At the same time, every fifth smoker smokes at least packs a day. However, according to the Ministry of Health , after the adoption of the anti-tobacco law, the number of Russian smokers decreased by 17%.