(PRWEB UK) 5 February 2013
Research shows people who quit smoking at New Year will fail without help from healthcare professionals: so online chemist The Healthcounter is doing all it can to help smokers quit in 2013.
And The Healthcounter is reminding smokers its never too late: as a new study claims people who stop smoking between 35 and 44 can expect to live nine years longer than those who continue to light up.
As well as stocking a huge selection of health and beauty products from all the biggest brands, The Healthcounter has a dedicated Quit Smoking section offering nicotine gum, inhalators, nicotine lozenges, nicotine patches, tablets and electric cigarettes, from brands like NiQuitin, Nicotinell and Nicorette.
The Healthcounter also offers an online doctors service to provide prescriptions and health advice. Its registered GPs can prescribe Champix a highly-effective, nicotine-free stop smoking aid, proven to be more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products.
Champix works by stimulating the same part of the brain affected by smoking without relying on nicotine, like patches, gum or lozenges. Champix helps to physically reduce cravings, and has the added effect of making cigarettes taste less pleasant.
Dr Sebastian Winckler, from The Healthcounter, explained that it can be difficult for smokers to quit cold turkey, but those who use some form of NRT are far more likely to stay smoke-free.
His views are backed by research from Pfizer1, which says just three per cent of people who quit smoking at New Year manage to stay smoke-free. Its study found most smokers relapse after just eight days of stopping but found those who got help from healthcare professionals were far less likely to relapse.
Dr Winckler said a common excuse for not giving up is that its too late, with the assumption that the ill effects of smoking have already taken their toll on the smokers bodies.
But according to new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine2, those who quit before the age of 44 can expect to live almost as long as those who have never smoked.
The study examined interviews conducted with 202,248 people between 1997 and 2004 regarding their smoking habits and any attempts to quit, and related this to causes of death in participants that had died by December 31, 2006.
It found that those who gave up between the ages of 35 and 44 gained around nine years of life when compared to those who carried on smoking.
Those that gave up between the ages of 25 and 34 had even better prospects, gaining about ten years of life equivalent to those who had never smoked.
Quitters who stubbed out their last cig between the ages of 45 and 54 typically lived for around six years longer.
Stopping smoking is incredibly difficult, said Dr Winckler. But its never too late.
Many people find willpower alone is not enough to help them quit, but they can choose some form of nicotine replacement therapy to help assuage their cravings instead.
These therapies are effective: but they usually contain nicotine, so the smoker is simply swapping the delivery method for their addiction from cigarettes to gum, patches or lozenges.
Champix is different: it doesnt contain nicotine. Instead, it tricks the brain, providing a similar stimulus to that caused by smoking.
Research shows smokers are more likely to quit if they use some form of stop smoking aid3: The Healthcounter offers a whole range of options to give smokers the best possible chance of kicking the habit in 2013.
Champix has previously been shown to be more effective than other stop smoking therapies. Research published in 2009, aggregated from 101 studies funded by Champix creator Pfizer, found it had a successful odds ratio of 1.56 for quitters, compared to gum and patches4.
Although the treatment is currently only available on prescription, The Healthcounters online doctor service allows customers to fill in a quick form to receive a consultation from a trusted family GP. Patients suitable for a prescription get medicines delivered to their door from a registered pharmacy.
ENDS
Notes to editors
For more information, contact Olivia at Nobull Communications on 01628 526208, or email Olivia@nobull-communications.co.uk.
About TheHealthcounter.com
Online chemist The Healthcounter is more than just a family pharmacy. As well as selling a range of popular healthcare and beauty essentials from all the big brands, such as LOreal, Beechams, Gillette, Wilkinson Sword, Sure, Dove and Simple, http://ECigBrandStarterKit.com/go/free-trial offers an online doctors service and a trove of useful family health information from GPs. The Healthcounter understands common family illnesses, such as coughs and colds, bad backs and eczema and produces a regular blog focussing on topical health issues in the media. The Healthcounters online prescription service is backed by a team of registered online GPs, whilst customers in London can benefit from same day delivery for their medicines and health products. Customers must provide a valid prescription in order to purchase any prescription-only products.
1 http://ECigBrandStarterKit.com/go/free-trial
2 http://ECigBrandStarterKit.com/go/free-trial
3 http://ECigBrandStarterKit.com/go/free-trial
4 http://www.ECigsFreeTrial.com
