Kicking the Habit

Is gradually reducing the number of cigarettes that a person smokes the right way to stop smoking? “Contrary to much popular belief,” answers Science News, “[University of California] researchers report that gradual withdrawal—cutting down on consumption by half or more—may actually ‘prolong their [the smokers’] agony by intermittently reinforcing their symptoms and smoking behavior. Typically, this chronic state of withdrawal will lead to relapse . . . craving leads to smoking and smoking leads to craving in a cycle of dependence.’”