Can't Quit? Blame Nic

It's common knowledge that smoking cigarettes is unhealthy, and yet people continue to do it. It’s not because they don’t want to quit—they do. But quitting smoking is one of the hardest habits to kick because, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it's as addictive as heroin, alcohol or cocaine.

When average people smoke cigarettes, they get about one to two milligrams of nicotine, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It's quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and travels to the brain where it is seen as a “reward” and causes a positive rush of adrenaline. It takes a lot of work to trick your brain into believing something so wonderful is actually quite harmful.

Fortunately, there are many ways to fool your brain and its love affair with nicotine. The key is using many different approaches since it’s unlikely that one alone will work. Try nicotine gums, patches, acupuncture, hypnosis, medication, antidepressants and/or meditation to kick the habit, and you're more likely to succeed.

Sure, we know nicotine and cigarettes are addictive, but do you really think they are as addictive as alcohol, cocaine or heroin? If all three of these substances are equally addictive, why does society demonize illegal drugs and downplay alcohol and cigarettes? [Newsday]