Snuffing out the habit: Trying laser
Nicotine is the addictive ingredient in cigarettes. When you smoke you inhale nicotine that goes into your blood and makes you feel better for 20 to 30 minutes. After that, the effect usually wears off and you start to want more.
Laser treatment works by releasing endorphins. Endorphins are a natural hormone in the body that makes us feel good.
The concept is that the extra release of these hormones overrides the nicotine cravings. Once smokers are rid of the craving, they can stop smoking at will.
The treatment is given on specific acupressure points. A simple touch of the laser wand on the specific areas for specific lengths of time forms the treatment.
David Skinner, chief photographer at The Royal Gazette,had the treatment two-and-a-half months ago and said it was painless, like having acupuncture in a dentist's chair.
Once the pressure points are activated and the endorphins are released, they continue to fire for about six to nine months.
By this time most of those serious about quitting have breezed through what would otherwise have been a time of withdrawal symptoms. Cleared of that fight they tend to continue not to crave cigarettes. But many clinics offering the service say it is at this time that a follow-up treatment may be necessary.
Tony Cordeiro spent over 50 years smoking and said one laser treatment three years ago was all he needed to stop. The former chief photographer of this newspaper has been three years without a cigarette.
There appears to be no known side effects to having the treatment although chief environmental health officer David Kendell has noted that lasers can be dangerous to the eyes.
Mr. Skinner has experienced a pleasant side effect: "After two months...I don't quite know how to explain it, I'm tranquil, easygoing, nothing upsets or bothers me," he said.
His reaction is likely the result of the release of extra endorphins – those feel-good hormones firing away.