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Fact: Nicotine can actually help people stop smoking if they use NRT (e.g. patch, gum or lozenge) by providing nicotine without the
cancer-causing smoke. However, the research paints a startling picture of the misconceptions that may stop people from using it to
quit with 7 in 10 smokers simply unaware that nicotine in NRT does not cause heart attacks and lung cancer.
- Dr. Alex Bobek, London, ENG
Provided by The American Lung Association
For more information, please visit the site:
Over-the-Counter www.lungusa.org
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Nicotine Patch (also available by prescription):
- The nicotine patch releases a constant amount of
nicotine in the body. Unlike the nicotine in tobacco
smoke which passes almost instantaneously into the
blood through the lining of the lungs, the nicotine in
the patch takes up to three hours to pass through the
layers of skin and into the user's blood.
- The patches are similar to adhesive bandages and
are available in different shapes and sizes.
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Nicotine Gum:
- Nicotine gum delivers nicotine to the brain more
quickly than the patch however, unlike smoke, which
passes almost instantaneously into the blood through
the lining of the lung; the nicotine in the gum takes
several minutes to reach the brain. This makes the
"hit" less intense with the gum than with a cigarette.
- Nicotine gum is not designed to be chewed like
normal gum. Rather it is used in the "chew and park"
method. When you insert a piece of gum into your
mouth, chew it a few times to break it down, then park
it between your gum and cheek and leave it there.
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Nicotine Lozenge:
- In 2002, the first and only over the counter nicotine lozenge
meant to help smokers kick the habit was introduced to the
market.
- Nicotine lozenge comes in the form of a hard candy, and
releases nicotine as it slowly dissolves in the mouth. Eventually,
the quitter will use fewer and fewer lozenges during the 12-week
program until he or she is completely nicotine-free.
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By prescription only:
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Nicotine nasal spray:
- Dispensed from a pump bottle similar
to over-the-counter decongestant
sprays, relieves cravings for a
cigarette.
- Nicotine is rapidly absorbed through
the nasal membranes and reaches
the bloodstream faster than any other
NRT product, giving a rapid nicotine
"hit". This feature makes it attractive to
some highly dependent smokers.
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Nicotine Inhaler:
- The nicotine inhaler consists of a plastic cylinder
containing a cartridge that delivers nicotine when you
puff on it. Use the inhaler when you have a craving for
a cigarette. Use no more than 16 cartridges a day for
up to 12 weeks.
- Although similar in appearance to a cigarette, the
inhaler delivers nicotine into the mouth, not the lung,
and enters the body much more slowly than the
nicotine in cigarettes. The nicotine inhaler is
available only by prescription.
- Each cartridge delivers up to 400 puffs of nicotine
vapor. It takes at least 80 puffs to obtain the
equivalent amount of nicotine delivered by one
cigarette.
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Non-Nicotine pill - CHANTIX
- CHANTIX™ (varenicline) is non-
nicotine prescription medicine
specifically developed to help adults
quit smoking.
- Contains no nicotine, but it targets the
same receptors that nicotine does.
The pill is believed to block nicotine
from these receptors. It is the only
prescription treatment of its kind.
- Studies show: At the end of 12 weeks
of CHANTIX, 44% were able to quit
smoking. It also helped reduce the
urge to smoke.
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Non-Nicotine Pill - Zyban:
- Bupropion hydrochloride (Zyban) was approved in 1997 to help
smokers quit. The drug, available by prescription only, is also
sold as an antidepressant under the name Wellbutrin.
- Common side effects include insomnia, dry mouth and dizziness.
- Treatment with bupropion begins while the user is still smoking,
one week prior to the quit date. Treatment is then continued for 7
to 12 weeks. Length of treatment is individualized.
- Dosing should begin at 150 mg/day given every day for the first 3
days, followed by a dose increase for most people to the
recommended dose of 300 mg/day, starting on the 4 day of
treatment. The maximum recommended dose is 300 mg/day,
given as 150 mg twice daily. An interval of at least 8 hours
between successive doses is advised.
- People who have not made significant progress towards
abstinence by the seventh week of therapy are unlikely to
successfully quit during this attempt, and bupropion treatment
should be discontinued.
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On a Budget? Here is a quick comparison of the products:
- Average retail price for over-the-counter transdermal nicotine patches (starter box) is
approximately $4 a day.
- The average retail price for nicotine gum is approximately $4.50 (10 pieces) a day for
average usage during the first six weeks of use.
- The average retail price for nicotine lozenge is approximately $6 a day for average
usage (12 doses) and up to $12 a day for maximum usage (20 doses) during the
first six weeks of use.
- The average retail price for nicotine nasal spray is approximately $5 a day for average
use (13 doses) and up to $15 a day for maximum usage (40 doses).
- The average retail cost of the nicotine inhaler is approximately $45.00 for a package
(42 cartridges).
- The average wholesale price for bupropion (Zyban) is approximately $2 per day.
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