Over 30 million Americans smoke cigarettes. Recent statistics reveal that over half attempted quitting in the past year, but that only 8% of them were successful in the 6-12 months that followed.
Many smoking cessation supports exist, including new ones that are gaining a lot of attention.
What conversations are happening online among those who wish to kick the habit?
The Trends Section provides an overview of some of the most recent and relevant topics that relate to particular health conditions.
It features a selection of the topics that have the fastest growing Google search interest across the last three months, and reflects the inquiries of patients, healthcare providers, scientists, and others who are invested in the topic.
This is valuable to understand people’s interests and concerns at the present moment, and often include the U.S. states that have the highest interest in a topic.
Quilt.AI brings these trends to life through an analysis that incorporates both cultural and scientific lenses.
Search interest for Nicoderm patch grew by 179% from May 2022 to July 2022.
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Over the past few months, there has been increasing interest for the Nicoderm patch, an ever-popular smoking cessation aid. In particular, people are searching for tips on how to use these patches, and information on the effectiveness of these patches in helping people who want to quit smoking.
Financial accessibility is also a concern for many people considering Nicoderm patches. Searches for ‘Nicoderm patch coupons’ and ‘patches for free’ have also seen an increase in the past few months, indicating an opportunity to make patches more affordable and accessible.
There has been an increase in searches for the brand name antidepressant drug Wellbutrin used for smoking cessation (generic name: bupropion; sometimes prescribed as Zyban). This drug is widely prescribed as a smoking cessation aid, and works by decreasing cravings and reducing withdrawal symptoms.
As people consider taking this drug to support their smoking cessation journey, there is also curiosity about its side effects, and these searches have also increased between the same period. Among the most common are headache, dry mouth, insomnia, nausea, constipation, anxiety, and decreased libido–side effects that are associated with many different antidepressants. .
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Search interest for Wellbutrin smoking cessation grew by 110% from May 2022 to July 2022.
Search interest for smoking cessation hypnosis near me grew by 146% from May 2022 to June 2022.
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Across the last three months, there has been an steady increase in searches for local resources that offer hypnosis for smoking cessation. People are considering this therapy either in combination with pharmaceuticals or on its own.
There is currently little evidence to support the use of hypnosis (or ‘hypnotherapy’) as a smoking cessation treatment. Some researchers have indicated that more studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of hypnosis effectiveness as a smoking cessation aid, and that the existing evidence is promising, with many patients reporting this therapy to be effective.
A 2021 article in The American Journal of Medicine endorses hypnotherapy as an effective treatment to support smoking cessation. A variety of news articles on the topic were published in May, which may have generated some interest among people looking for non-drug cessation options.
Chantix is the brand name for the drug varenicline, a drug commonly prescribed for smoking cessation. Searches for its starter pack (‘Chantix Starting Month Pak’ that refers to the first month’s supply of the 3- or 6-month treatment) indicates that people are seriously considering starting this course of therapy. The most searches came from Florida, Texas, and California.
Varenicline works by mimicking the effect of nicotine on the body, and prevents people from experiencing the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting smoking.
The cost of Chantix can be quite high (several hundred dollars per month) and people are are also searching for generic alternatives for Chantix, researching its cost, and looking for free treatments and coupons to buy Chantix.
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Search interest for Chantix Starter Pack grew by 20% from May 2022 to June 2022.
Search interest for Does Chantix Make You Tired grew by 254% from May 2022 to July 2022.
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There has been an increase in searches across the past three months about whether Chantix causes drowsiness. Although the drug may cause drowsiness, it is not among the top reported side effects, which are mostly headache and gastrointestinal-related.
This search increase indicates that people are considering this specific side effect within the context of their lives. People must understand the side effects they could experience as they weigh the pros and cons of starting any therapy. There have been reports of people experiencing drowsiness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and losses of consciousness while taking Chantix, and people may not be able to accept these risks in a variety of jobs or professions where these types of impairments could be dangerous.
The Culture Section highlights emerging cultural trends, new products, and notable dialogue about a variety of health conditions. The purpose of this section is to zoom in on what has been happening within the cultural and professional landscape of a particular health condition–stories that are often missed by quantitative searches.
By featuring influential social media items, patient discourse, professional dialogue, product innovations, and impactful news items, this section illuminates the lived experiences of many patients, while also providing a snapshot of the developments happening around them.
Here, Quilt.AI offers a detailed and nuanced perspective of what is new and what is meaningful.
People share their success stories of quitting smoking through snippets of their journey or the number of days they haven’t smoked. These videos also include tips on how to quit smoking and relatable content on how it is achievable.
Social support can be an important factor in succeeding in quitting smoking, so there is an opportunity in collating videos like this in one place as a resource for people who are on the quitting journey.
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There are more and more videos on social media that discuss diets and herbal drinks that can help with smoking cessation. These are touted as effective home remedies and suggested as cheaper, safer alternatives to nicotine gums, lozenges, and inhalers.
There is an opportunity to validate or debunk these home remedies in the service of helping more people quit smoking successfully. Effective home remedies can also be used as inspiration for new smoking cessation aids.
Especially on TikTok, people are sharing their experiences using different nicotine replacement therapies. They provide candid product reviews of what has worked for them, including side effects.
Overwhelmed and sometimes paralyzed by choice, reviews like these are valuable for people who are just at the start of their smoking cessation journeys. Linking to these reviews in marketing can be an effective way to drive credibility and trial.
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One of the frequently mentioned tips to quitting smoking is to replace cigarettes with vapes. These videos or posts are met with pushback that vapes are not FDA-approved as a smoking cessation therapy. Others encourage more research into whether vaping can help people stop smoking, or call for the FDA to provide clear guidance on the matter.
With the debate around the safety of vaping continuing, people who are quitting smoking will benefit from content that compares the benefits of vaping vs. more conventional smoking cessation aids like gums and patches.
One of the emerging trends in content around smoking cessation on social media is around the use of mental exercises in changing deeply rooted habits. These tips are popular on TikTok and feature people guiding viewers through daily routines of mental exercises to help them stop smoking.
There is growing awareness around mental health in general, so mental exercises are very much aligned with other changes in people’s lifestyles. Pairing these exercises with smoking cessation products can lead to greater success for quitters, and greater credibility for products.
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