Acupuncture

Find a licensed acupuncturist through a doctor’s referral, your hospital, or health clinic. Most programs to help you quit smoking involve at least four or five visits. Your acupuncturist will take a thorough medical history and conduct a preliminary examination using methods from traditional Chinese medicine. You will have the opportunity to ask as many questions as you want. Each individual’s acupuncture treatment plan is different, but they all involve inserting very fine needles into the patient’s body at specific points, thereby influencing and discouraging the desire to smoke. The pros to acupuncture are one-on-one attention, the natural aspect of the procedure, and the treatment plan which includes herbs and supplements, as well as dietary recommendations, to reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms. The cons are that acupuncture involves repeat visits, so scheduling and transportation may be a problem, and office visits can be expensive when they are not covered by insurance.

• Cost: $50 to $120 per visit
• Cost: $500+ per program (or insurance co-pay)
• Cost: Herbs and supplements $6 to $20 each

Hypnotherapy

You must truly want to quit smoking for hypnosis to work. Also, while group sessions work for some people, most have better luck in one-on-one sessions with a licensed hypnotherapist who is able to ease your mind into a deeply relaxed state where you are more open to suggestion. The therapist will suggest different ways for you to think about smoking, and these ideas will have positive effects on your future smoking behavior. The pros are that you get one-on-one attention and that one visit, for some people, is all that’s needed. The cons are that hypnotherapists don’t offer much in the way of anti-smoking education. Scheduling and transportation may be a problem, and depending on where you live, sessions may be costly (unless your health insurance covers your visits). To locate a reputable hypnotherapist, ask for recommendations from your doctor or local hospital.

• Cost: $40 to $350 per session (or insurance co-pay)
• Plan on 3-6 sessions although some people see results after only 1 session

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Nicotine Gum

Available over-the-counter or by prescription, nicotine gum is used to help wean smokers away from a smoking lifestyle. The nicotine in the gum does not contain tar, carbon monoxide, or other cancer-causing agents. You must follow a regular schedule and use the gum a certain number of times each day, in a certain way, for a specified amount of time. You will taper off according to package directions. Pros are that nicotine gum can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and help ease your way into quitting. It also gives your mouth “something to do.” Cons are that you still have nicotine in your daily lifestyle, and the gum may prove to have side effects or become addicting. Some people complain about the taste. The schedule is sometimes hard to follow and the gum must be chewed in a certain way, unlike regular gum. Finally, the program is costly if you start on the highest dosages. The program lasts for 12 weeks.

• Cost: $55 for gum starter pack (108 pieces)
• Cost: $33 for refills (48 pieces)
• Total Cost: $500 to $625