Smokers who transferred to using low-nicotine cigarettes have greater chance of cutting down their addictive vice on a daily basis, according to a new study.
In fact, the research suggests that the use of special low-nicotine smoke can help a person totally abandon the cigarette-dependent life.
The examination was conducted by inviting 800 people who were known to consume five or more cigarettes per day. The subjects were also smokers who don't want to quit their deadly habit.
The said subjects were tasked to smoke with their usual cigarette consumption and also with a controlled cigarette having low nicotine content. Aside from the free cigarette, the smokers were also paid at $20 per hour visit, as they were assigned to report the number of sticks they consumed in each day.
During the visit, some of the smokers underwent several tests in order to measure their nicotine level and exposure.
All in all, the smokers were paid up to $835 during the whole duration of the study which lasted for six weeks at 10 office visits per day.
The results show that those who smoke with lower contents of nicotine have increase their smoke intake but have a total reduced amount of nicotine levels. People who consumed 2.4, 1.3 or 0.4 mg of nicotine per gram of tobacco which is equal to 15 to 16 sticks per day. In comparison, it is equivalent to 21 to 22 cigarettes per day with a 15.8 mg of nicotine.
This means that 85% to 97% nicotine reduction will offer a 23% reduction in terms of number of cigarettes consumed.
Dr. Michael Fiore and Dr. Timothy Baker wrote their opinion about the results in a Journal commentary.
"We believe these data support exploration of a national nicotine-reduction policy, and we recommend that additional attention be paid to low-nicotine cigarettes as a potential clinical smoking-cessation resource," said by the two doctors from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
