Why is innovation lacking to stop smoking?

Every year, more than 480,000 people die from smoking-related illnesses. Despite this, millions of people continue to smoke. But the problem does not lie solely on smokers themselves. There has been a distinct lack of innovation in smoking cessation methods.

Why is there a lack of innovation in smoking cessation?

The reasons for this lack of innovation are myriad and complex. Here are just a few reasons why there is currently little innovation in smoking cessation.

Fewer smokers mean smaller profits

From a purely financial point of view, many tobacco companies simply do not want to lose their customer base. Smoking is a profitable business, both for the industry and for the state. The tax revenue raised from cigarettes and other tobacco products is almost $20 billion (£15.5 billion) in a single year, a significant amount for the government.

While the influence of tobacco lobbyists is not as strong as it once was, they still hold considerable sway over government policy. The banning of certain vape liquids by the Trump administration is evidence of this.

Tobacco lobbyists have donated almost $60 million (£46 billion) to Republican politicians since 1990 — a sizeable sum. Trump himself has had financial investments in several tobacco companies, earning up to $2.1 million (£1.6 million) from the shares until he sold them in 2018.

Consequently, this influence has stifled innovation from a policy standpoint. While key decision-makers are in the pockets of tobacco companies, innovation in smoking cessation will continue to falter.

It’s difficult to combat a lack of will

One of the biggest reasons why people struggle to quit is a simple lack of willpower. Breaking the habit of a lifetime is a gargantuan task, and not one easily done.

But this lack of will also extends to employers, businesses and healthcare providers too.

If an individual is suffering from diabetes, their doctor will provide them with tests, insulin, lifestyle advice, and so on. Their employer might also cover payment for these in their workplace health insurance.

But smoking cessation strategies are less rigorous. Nicotine patches and quitting programmes are all well and good, but they pale into comparison when compared to the comprehensive treatments offered for other health issues (and smoking is a health issue). Healthcare providers focus on treatments and procedures instead of prevention — it’s simply not a priority.

Society sees smoking as a personal choice

For non-smokers, the issue of smoking is a simple one: it’s a choice, not an addiction. If people really want to quit, they’ll quit. This is the paradigm through which many, individuals and businesses alike, view smoking.

Consequently, smoking is seen as a concern solely for the smokers themselves, both by society and by healthcare providers as a whole.

This has created an ‘us and them’ approach that discourages genuine innovation in smoking cessation strategies. Smoking is seen as a choice, and as such it’s perceived that it’s up to the individual to quit.

Of course, the issue is more complex than this. Smoking is a problem that impacts everyone, albeit in different ways. The effects of passive smoking are well-documented, and the financial impact of smoking through healthcare costs and loss of productivity are significant.

How can we bring innovation into smoking cessation?

The threat of health issues as a result of smoking is rarely enough to deter smokers from continuing their habit.

Most tobacco products carry some form of anti-smoking warning, either through copy or through graphic images of smoking-related ailments. Despite this, millions of people continue to smoke every year.

With this in mind, there are further incentives that businesses and healthcare professionals alike can appeal to.

Zurich, for instance, offers life insurance for smokers alongside advice on how to quit. This advice is delivered through the lens of financial rewards for quitting, rather than simply through its health benefits.

Complete smoking cessation leads to significantly lower premiums on health insurance. As a result, it provides smokers with a greater (and admittedly more impactful) incentive for quitting.

But in 2020, we should look to innovations in medtech and digital technology to further encourage and enable people to quit smoking.

Breathalyser technology for visualisation of results

Naturally, smartphones form the foundation for many digital innovations in smoking cessation. They offer healthcare providers the chance to provide scalable prevention and cessation programs. In turn, this overcomes the limitations of smoking cessation meets, particularly important for reaching older smokers or those in rural areas.

But many firms are combining smartphone apps with other technology to encourage smoking cessation in patients, such as Pivot.

Created by US-based digital health firm Carrot Inc, Pivot connects via Bluetooth with a mobile breath sensor that monitors the level of carbon monoxide in a user’s system. This is then monitored in-app so the user can track their progress over time.

The breathalyser is combined with live in-app coaching and activities to help educate the user and reinforce positive behavior. The ability to track changes in the body over time also helps users visualise their journey, aiding its success as a result.

Wearable sensor technology to discourage negative behaviours

A fine example of innovative technology used to encourage smoking cessation can be seen in Case Western Reserve University’s wearable sensor. Comprising a smartphone app and two wearable armbands, the technology sends a personalised text reminder to the user when the sensors detect smoking-related movements, such as lighting a cigarette.

This tech is combined with a bespoke smoking cessation plan and mindfulness training, each delivered via the smartphone app. In this way, negative behaviors are highlighted and the user is empowered to make positive decisions backed by education.

Digital transdermal patches for automatic nicotine release

Nicotine patches are nothing new in the field of smoking cessation, but the introduction of digital adds a new slant to it.

Digital transdermal patches, like the type developed by Chrono Therapeutics, release nicotine into the skin at timed intervals based on when a smoker’s cravings are at their peak. This combats the desire for a morning cigarette (when cravings are at their highest) by negating it while the smoker sleeps.

These patches mitigate smoker’s cravings based on research and data, providing a more accurate and calculated approach to smoking cessation with a higher success rate as a result.

The problem of smoking is one that affects everyone, not just smokers themselves. In 2020, it’s crucial that we look to innovation to change the way we perceive smokers and view smoking cessation.