英语听力文摘 English Digest 448、戒烟的秘密武器（在线收听）

尼古丁贴片（Nicotine patch）是一种香烟替代品。 尼古丁贴片主要有三种剂量，分别含有7、14、21毫克的尼古丁，使用者可根据吸烟量选择不同剂量的贴片。使用时将贴片贴在皮肤上即可，每天只需更换一次。使用起来较为方便。尼古丁贴片能够以较均衡的速度提供尼古丁，从而使血液中的尼古丁含量保持恒定。

If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking, you know that it’s one of the harder habits to break. Nicotine addiction is a powerful physical and psychological dependency that conditions the body to crave nicotine in order to maintain feelings of basic well being.

From cold turkey to hypnosis, cigarette smokers have tried various methods to help kick the smoking habit. In recent years, many long-term smokers have turned to an increasingly popular remedy: the nicotine .

The Patch, as it’s commonly known, is a small, Band-Aid-like device applied directly to the skin of the arm, chest, upper back, or hip. Throughout the day the patch releases controlled amounts of nicotine that are absorbed through the skin and directly into the bloodstream.

How, you may ask, is this any better than smoking? Used properly, over time the patch imparts increasingly smaller doses of nicotine to help the addict gradually break the habit without experiencing the worst symptoms of withdrawal. Plus, the patch releases only nicotine, leaving out all of the dangerous carcinogens and other chemicals found in cigarettes.

If you decide to use the patch, it’s important to stop smoking while wearing it. Combined with nicotine from cigarettes, the extra jolt absorbed from the patch can overload the system and cause illness. Also be aware that the combined side effects of quitting smoking and wearing a patch can include headaches, anxiety, dizziness, fatigue, and constipation.

Furthermore, in some instances the patch can irritate the skin, causing a burning sensation and even cause swelling and redness. However unpleasant it may sound, the patch is still worthwhile if it helps you stop smoking.

如果你曾经尝试着戒烟，就会了解这是最难改掉的习惯之一。尼古丁上瘾是生理和心理上的一种强烈的依赖。使其身体迫切需要尼古丁来维持基本健康的情绪。

不管是突然停止抽烟还是催眠戒烟，吸烟者已经尝试过各种各样的办法戒烟。近年来，许多长期吸烟这转向一种很流行的疗法：尼古丁贴片。

通常这种贴片很小，就像创可贴，可以直接接触皮肤上。贴于手臂，胸，上背或臀部皆可。一天中它释放出一定数量的尼古丁会被皮肤吸收并直接进入血液。

也许你会问，这种办法会比直接吸烟好吗？在严格使用一段时间后，贴片会逐渐减少尼古丁的剂量帮助吸烟者慢慢地改掉这个习惯，而且没有前功尽弃的风险。另外，这种贴片只释放尼古丁，把香烟中致癌物质和其他化学物质给身体带来的危害排除在外。

一旦决定用这种贴片，很重要的一点是必须停止吸烟。与香烟中的尼古丁结合，从尼古丁贴片吸收额外少量的尼古丁可能会导致系统超负荷并引发疾病。另外要注意戒烟和贴片伴随的症状有头痛，焦虑，眩晕，疲劳和便秘。

此外，一些实例表明，贴片可能会使皮肤疼痛，引起灼烧的感觉，甚至引起皮肤肿胀发红。不管听上去有多不愉快，如果这种贴片能帮助你戒烟的话，还是值得一试。