Smart quitting: new inhaler and heating technologies may aid smoking cessation

While there’s a diverse arsenal of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products on the market, their effectiveness for smoking cessation remains disappointing. However, a new wave of inhaler technology could finally deliver the swift relief smokers need to quit for good.

The wide array of nicotine replacement therapy products available includes lozenges, gums, nasal sprays and prescription inhalers, but their success rate in helping smokers permanently quit combustible cigarettes is underwhelming. According to a 2006 meta study by the Swiss Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, the effectiveness of long-term smoking cessation with the help of NRTs stood at 7%. Several successive surveys have since confirmed that NRTs demonstrate limited success in meeting their actual goal.