What is NICORETTE gum is used for ?

NICORETTE® gum is a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) that is designed to relieve and/or prevent withdrawal symptoms and reduce the cravings associated with quitting smoking. It can be used when trying to quit smoking entirely, or when cutting down the number of cigarettes you smoke. NICORETTE® gum can also be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding to help women stop smoking, as the risks to the baby are far less than if the mother were to continue smoking.

If you're unable to stop smoking completely, you can use NICORETTE® gum to replace certain cigarettes and help you cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke. Additionally, it can be used in situations where you can't or don't want to smoke, such as smoke-free areas like pubs, work, or public transport (e.g. aeroplanes), or when you don't want to smoke around children or family members. NICORETTE® gum may also help increase your motivation to quit.

When making a quit attempt, a behavioural support programme can increase your chances of success. If you smoke 20 or fewer cigarettes a day, the 2mg nicotine gum will help relieve your cravings. If you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day, the 4mg nicotine gum may be more appropriate.

What does nicorette® gum do?

When you quit smoking or cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke, your body misses the nicotine that you've been absorbing. This can lead to unpleasant feelings and a strong desire to smoke, or cravings. NICORETTE® gum releases nicotine and passes it into your body through the lining of your mouth. The nicotine released from the gum is sufficient to relieve the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and help stop the craving to smoke, although it won't give you the same buzz that you get from smoking a cigarette.

For the best effect, it's important to chew NICORETTE® gum correctly using the NICORETTE® chewing technique. The benefits of stopping smoking far outweigh any potential risk from using nicotine from NRT. It's the toxins in cigarette smoke, such as tar, lead, cyanide, and ammonia, that cause smoking-related disease and death, not the nicotine. While smoking may seem like it helps relieve feelings of anxiety and stress, it doesn't address the root cause of the stress and can lead to serious diseases. Additionally, the feeling of relaxation after smoking is temporary, with withdrawal symptoms and cravings soon returning.

Nicotine replacement therapy can help relieve nicotine withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, low mood, anxiety, restlessness, and cravings, when used in place of cigarettes. NRT may also benefit smokers who want to quit by helping to control weight gain that may be experienced when trying to stop smoking. While NRT is safer than smoking tobacco, it's important to aim to stop smoking completely as soon as you're ready.