Israelis find new way for quitting smoking

Using magnetism, researchers from Ben-Gurion University say they can effectively help smokers cut down on nicotine.

Nicotine addiction is one of the most prevalent dependencies in the world today despite billions of dollars dedicated to showing the problems associated with cigarettes. Shifts in North American culture have particularly seen a decline in people smoking, but there are still those who struggle with their addiction every day. Researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University, however, may have found a new way to help smokers quit and all it takes is some “transcranial magnetic stimulation.”

According to the BBC, results from an early test suggest that the magnetic procedure, which stimulates neurons to alter brain function, may help reduce cravings in smokers.

The experiment had 115 participants who had the procedure applied to parts of their brains associated with nicotine addiction, the prefrontal cortex and the insular cortex. The results show that smokers exposed to high frequency treatments were more likely to quit smoking within six months and experience less craving.