Many people think that going cold turkey is the best way to quit smoking, but a new report suggests that could be the wrong approach.
Smoking is harmful to health in almost every respect, leading to cancer, stroke, and heart disease, among other ailments. But it does initially increase brain activity, Danish researchers say.
Looking at brain scans, they discovered that when people stop smoking suddenly, there is an up to 17 percent decrease in oxygen and blood flow to the brain within 12 hours, triggering withdrawal symptoms that may lead them to light up again.
“Regular smokers experience an almost dementia-like condition in the early hours after quitting. This can be quite an unpleasant experience, and is probably one of the reasons why it can be very difficult to quit smoking once and for all,” said Professor Albert Gjedde of the University of Copenhagen.
Smokers may need to continue smoking just to keep their brain functioning normally, he said. With time, their brain becomes less dependent on smoking, but the researchers do not know how long it takes, Professor Gjedde said.
"We assume that it takes weeks or months, but we do not know for sure,” he added, but he noted that the findings suggest it may be wise to stop smoking gradually to avoid the worst withdrawal symptoms.
© 2026 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.