The stop smoking injection is advertised aggressively by many anti-smoking clinics. This treatment consists in three injections of Scopolamine or Atropine given to the smokers behind the ears, on the hip or on the arms. The drugs help in controlling neural activity and are medically classified as anticholinergics. In the medical field, in the form of anesthetics anticholinergics have been extensively used during surgery or as temporary means of curing Parkinson’s disease.

The chemicals that are contained in the injections act on the nicotine sensitive areas of the brain and reduce the urge for a smoke, and work as an antismoking aid. A single session costs about 350-500 dollars and lasts from an hour to an hour and a half.

The treatment also requires that the patient wears a scopolamine patch behind his ear and take atropine tablets for about two weeks after getting the shot. The clinics also help the ones trying to quit smoking to fight withdrawal symptoms and mood swing by offering counseling sessions.

Dizziness, dry mouth, headaches and problems in urinating are the most common side-effects associated with anti-smoking injections, and they tend to happen soon after the injection is given.

Rare long term effects are considered to be hallucinations, strokes and heart attacks, are usually observed at smokers who are subjected to high dosage. A special, and extremely rare case, is when a person can end up in a coma.

Before starting the treatment, the smoker needs to undergo a complete medical check-up. Pregnant women, those who suffer from cardiac disorders and people who are using other narcotics are recommended to avoid this treatment.

The success rate of this treatment is not very high, and side-effect chances are high. Most of this happens because it’s not a very well established technique, and because of this, it is essential to investigate both clinics and doctors before starting the treatment. Talking with former patients can be a lot of help as well.