from Annals of Internal Medicine
When people want to quit smoking, some
choose to do it gradually while others quit
abruptly—cold turkey, if you will. Which
method is more successful? A study
published in Annals of Internal Medicine
compared results of the two methods of
quitting at four weeks and six months. Each
group of patients received the same
behavioral support from nurses and used
nicotine replacement before and after their
agreed-on quit dates. The study found those
who quit abruptly were twenty-five percent
more likely to remain free of smoking in the
short term and long term. The article
suggests that medical personnel recommend
quitting “cold turkey” over gradual quitting
for patients who want to stop smoking.