One of thereasons I find this topic

One of thereasons I find this topic very interesting is because my mom was a smoker when I was younger,” says Lindson-Hawley, who studies tobacco and health at theUniversity of Oxford.[51] By studying about 700 adult smokers, she found out that mom quitthe right way — by stopping abruptly and completely.In her Study, participants were randomly (随机地) assigned to two groups. Onehad to quit abruptly on a given day, going from about a pack a day to zero. The other cut down gradually overthe course of two weeks. [52]People in both groups used nicotine (尼古丁) patches before they quit, inaddition to a second form. of nicotinereplacement like gum or spray. They also hadtalk therapy with a nurse before and after quit day.Sixmonths out, more people who had quit abruptly had stuck with it — more thanone-fifth of them, compared to about one-seventh in the other group.Although these numbers appear low, it’s a very, very low quit rate if people trywithout support.And thequit rates were particularly convincing given that before the study started, mostof the people had said they’drather cut down gradually before quitting.[54] “If you’re training for a marathon, youwouldn’t expectto turn up and just be able to run it. And I think people see that for smokingas well. They think, ‘Well, ifI gradually reduce, it’s almost practice,’” says Lindson-Hawley.But that wasn’t the case. [55] Instead of giving people practice,the gradual reduction likely gave them cravings(瘾) and withdrawal before they evenreached the quit day, which could be why fewer people in that group actuallymade it to that point.[53]“Regardlessof your stated preference, if you’re ready to quit, quittingabruptly is more effective,” says Dr.Gabriela Ferreira. “When youcan quote a specific number like a fifth of the patients were able to quit,that’s acompelling number, and I think that translates to the patient. It gives themthe encouragement, I think, to really go for it,” Ferreira says.Peoplerarely manage to quit the first time they try. But at least, she says, they canmaximize the odds of success.