Category

• Smoking cessation adjunct

Description

Nicotine (NIK-o-teen), in a flavored chewing gum, a lozenge, or a skin patch, is used to help you stop smoking. It is used for up to 12 weeks as part of a stop-smoking program. This program may include education, counseling, and psychological support.

As you chew nicotine gum or suck on the nicotine lozenge, nicotine passes through the lining of your mouth and into your blood stream. When you wear a nicotine patch, nicotine passes through your skin into your blood stream. This nicotine takes the place of nicotine that you would otherwise get from smoking. In this way, the withdrawal effects of not smoking are less severe. Then, as your body adjusts to not smoking, the use of the nicotine gum is decreased gradually until use is stopped altogether. For most brands of patches, the strength of the patch you use will be decreased over a few weeks until use is stopped. If you are using the brand of patch that is available in only one strength, use is stopped after the treatment period indicated on the label.

Children, pregnant women, and nonsmokers should not use nicotine gum or patches because of harmful effects.

Nicotine gum or lozenge is available without a prescription. Some nicotine patches are available without a prescription. Nicotine is available in the following dosage forms:

Oral
• Chewing gum (U.S. and Canada)
• Lozenge (U.S.)

Topical
• Transdermal (stick-on) skin patch (U.S. and Canada)

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.—

• Commit
• NicoDerm CQ
• Nicorette
• Nicotrol

In Canada—

• Habitrol
• Nicoderm
• Nicorette
• Nicorette Plus
• Nicotrol
• Prostep

Generic name product may be available in the U.S.