A test and its rewards

What makes smoking so pleasurable is that the rewards are immediate, while the serious consequences become evident only after some time has passed. After all, it’s hard to kick a habit that makes you feel good and has few noticeable immediate side effects.

It is a well-established fact that cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 substances and toxins – 60 of which can cause cancer. But what will it matter if you cannot see any of them?

Now Nicorette (nicotine gum), Pfizer Consumer Healthcare’s leading smoking cessation therapy, is changing all that. Because for the first time ever, it’s bringing the Smokerlyzer to the Philippines and inviting smokers who want to quit to try it for free.

But what exactly does Smokerlyzer do? It measures the amount of the toxic carbon monoxide (CO) that is accumulated in your body from the cigarette smoke you inhale. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, which is a byproduct of incomplete combustion and is found in car exhaust fumes, fires and cigarette smoke. Exposure to too much carbon monoxide is a health hazard and extra care must be taken to avoid it.

The Smokerlyzer will give you an idea of how much of this toxic gas is in your system. You simply breathe into a small, portable device and in the span of a few seconds, the results show up. You get immediate proof of how much carbon monoxide you have in your body.

The good news is that the amount of carbon monoxide in your system drops very quickly, provided you remain smoke-free. The rewards of quitting come within hours after your last puff and you will continue to reap the benefits as you live your life as a non-smoker.

As part of Nicorette’s support program for smokers who want to beat the habit, Pfizer has set up special Nicorette stations in 13 major Mercury Drug branches in Glorietta, Greenbelt 1, Greenhills Shoppesville, Scout Borromeo and Diliman in Quezon City, Robinson’s Galleria, Alabang Town Center, Shangri-La Plaza, Jaka Plaza in Sucat, Robinson’s Place Ermita, Katipunan Loyola Heights, Market! Market! and Power Plant Mall in Rockwell.

Any smoker can drop by these booths to find out if they have a low, moderate or high level of carbon monoxide in their bodies, as well as get free practical advice on how to win over their cravings.

These special Nicorette stations give smokers the support and encouragement they need to break away from their dependence on cigarettes. Nicorette is one of the best allies to have when one wants to give up the habit. Nicotine gum is one form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which has helped millions of smokers break free from their addiction.

What makes Nicorette gum so safe and effective is that it gives the body the nicotine it needs in controlled amounts. Cravings and withdrawal symptoms are diminished, but without exposing oneself to the harmful disease- and cancer-causing toxins and gases found in cigarettes.

For more information on Nicorette, log on to www.nicorette.com.ph