A new "nicotine inhaler", being tested in New Zealand, has gone down well so far with tobacco addicts.
The inhaler, which was developed by the University of Otago Wellington, is currently being trialled on Kiwi participants - some of whom say using the device has curbed their puffing urges.
Project researcher Dr Brent Caldwell, whose main area of interest is in smoking cessation methods, said the trial was working well and participants were responding positively to the use of the inhaler.
"This is the first time in the world that a highly tolerable pulmonary nicotine inhaler has been trialled which can deliver similar levels of nicotine to that provided by cigarettes.
"Our preliminary results show it will potentially be a huge improvement on current nicotine therapies."
The inhaler was based on the same design as puffer devices used to deliver medication to asthmatics. Instead of asthmatic medication, users received a short burst of nicotine.
Inhaling nicotine was the fastest way to get the drug to the brain, Dr Caldwell said.
"Our study aims to test whether giving smokers an inhaler that provides a rapid hit of nicotine to the brian helps them to quit smoking when used in combination with nicotine patches."
Included in the trial were Paul Mallet and two of his workmates at Printlink in Wellington.
The trio have swapped their smoko breaks for puffer breaks, and now use inhalers at their desks instead of heading into the cold for a cigarette.
"It's been great to share our experiences of the inhaler and talk about how we've been coping with reducing our smoking," Mr Mallet said.
Feedback from the three workers found use of the inhalers had been highly sociable.
Another trial participant Alice O'Leary, who had stopped smoking for 14 months after taking part in Dr Caldwell's recent nicotine mouthspray study, rated the inhaler's effectiveness above the mouthspray.
"It's more rapid, it gives immediate relief and it's perfectly legitimate to use in public," Ms O'Leary said.
Using the device also curbed her urge to go out for a cigarette after the recent earthquakes in central New Zealand, she said.
- By Teuila Fuatai of APNZ
