There are approximately 30.8m smokers in the United States right now, a habit which is believed to cause around 480,000 deaths every year. That’s one in five deaths in the country from preventable diseases linked to smoking.
With such devastating effects, there’s little wonder so many people are trying to give up. The smoking cessation industry is estimated to be worth $27.8bn by 2031, with 70% of smokers suggesting they have either tried quitting or intend to.
How does one go about stopping smoking? In days gone by, it used to be word of mouth, usually peer support or from your doctor. In the digital age, support is far more widespread, and help comes in many forms. There are websites and other interactive platforms to help you, and you could even find a podcast on Spotify.
Spotify is a well-known streaming app, but it also has podcasts, several of which are smoking cessation-related, that you can download and listen to right now. If you wish to start on your journey, here are some popular apps and a bit about the advice they’re giving smokers.
Quit Smoking Today
One element of the smoking cessation industry that doesn’t get much traction these days is hypnosis. There’s a lot of misinformation around hypnosis as a technique, hindered by stage performers trivializing its positive benefits. The Quit Smoking Today podcast is hosted by a professional clinical hypnotherapist, and it uses elements of hypnosis throughout to help you quit. It isn’t purely focused on hypnosis; there’s handy advice on other smoking cessation products, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), as well as practical advice to help you quit.
Counter Tobacco Podcast
There are many NRT smoking cessation products on the market today, and the Counter Tobacco Podcast seeks to explore the pros and cons of each. Delivered in short, 10 to 15-minute episodes, it explores point of sale for these products and seeks to separate myth from fact when helping smokers make an informed choice about which product to use. For example, a recent episode dealt with the rise of newer NRT products, such as nicotine pouches. The VELO nicotine pouches on Prilla are designed to sit under the lip and disperse nicotine in short bursts to help smokers with their cravings. They come in multiple flavours and strengths, and the podcast sought to explore these products, bringing them to a newer demographic of smokers who may previously only have used patches or gum.
Let’s Talk e-Cigarettes
There’s no doubt e-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular globally; the e-cigarette market is considered worth around $22.45bn last year, accounting for a huge portion of the overall cessation industry. However, they’ve also been highly controversial, with the range of vaping products from Juul affected by a federal ban. That’s where the Let’s Talk e-Cigarettes podcast comes in. Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr Nicola Lindson talk through the popular cessation product, exploring the research in the area and talking to industry professionals. If you’re considering vaping as a cessation technique, this podcast is for you.
Conclusion
Those are just three of many podcasts on these themes available on Spotify. If you’re a smoker and you’re currently jogging to the latest Taylor Swift album on the music streaming platform, why not switch it up and find one of the pods we’ve suggested? You never know; it might just save your life in the long run.
