FAQs

The best way to stop smoking is the way that is right for you. Using NRT patch plus lozenges ensures the highest chance of quitting when used as directed* (*compared to willpower alone).

Nicotinell can help you to become smoke-free, no matter how many cigarettes you smoke. Our products contain nicotine, which is a stimulant. When it enters your bloodstream it triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that helps you experience emotion and feelings of pleasure. Cravings occur when the level of dopamine falls, following a cigarette. Over time, smokers often need more cigarettes to maintain the same dopamine levels.

Nicotinell Gum, Patches and Lozenges contain different strengths of nicotine in order to help you manage your cravings. For guidance, check out our product suggestion tool.

Our products deliver a lower amount of nicotine than cigarettes, just enough to help you manage your cravings. Unlike cigarettes, Nicotinell products don’t contain tar, carbon monoxide, or many of the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, so they’re generally well tolerated and less addictive.

Nicotinell Gum, Lozenges and Patches help you calm your cravings so you can focus on the emotional aspects of your habit. Click here for more information about our products.

Yes, If you haven’t been able to quit smoking using a single nicotine replacement product before, you may want to try using more than one Nicotinell product at the same time, we refer to this as combination therapy.

You can use Nicotinell patches in combination with Nicotinell Lozenge* to help manage your cravings. The patches can provide you with a constant supply of nicotine around the clock, but if at any time you feel a strong urge to smoke, you can use the lozenge* to help take the edge off your cravings and stay on track.

However, combination therapy is not recommended for long-term use, and you should speak to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before starting on this treatment course. Please note, however, if you are using the 1mg lozenge in combination with the patch, you should stop smoking completely.

*refers to 1mg lozenge only

Nicotine replacement products are widely used and have a proven safety record. However, like all medicines, Nicotinell products can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Please refer to the patient information leaflet for further details.

Not everyone gains weight after they give up smoking, although many people are concerned that they will. Smoking suppresses your appetite, so when you quit, you may feel hungrier. That’s why using nicotine replacement products, rather than going cold turkey, can help you manage your weight during the smoking cessation treatment period.

Another benefit of giving up smoking is that you may find it easier to breathe, so your energy levels should rise, meaning it’s a great time to get active. Regular exercise will not only help you control your weight, it will also improve your fitness level and ease your cravings.

The constant background craving for a cigarette will decrease in intensity over several weeks after quitting. Alongside this, the sudden urges to smoke tend to get less frequent over time, but their intensity can remain strong even after many months of quitting.

Click here to find ways to manage your cravings.

Stay positive and whatever you do, don’t give up on giving up. Not everyone is successful on their first attempt, but that doesn’t mean you won’t succeed. Some people find it easier to gradually reduce their smoking, rather than give up all at once.

Think about what triggered you to start smoking again and how you could avoid that temptation in the future.

Pregnant smokers are advised to stop smoking completely without use of nicotine aids. Should this not be possible, please consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting any nicotine replacement therapy.

When you smoke, you inhale nicotine and thousands of different hazardous substances (such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia). These substances can cause, among other things, increased blood pressure, increased blood-sugar levels and an increase in metabolic rate. When you stop smoking, you can therefore temporarily suffer from reduced blood pressure, a drop in blood-sugar levels and a reduction in metabolic rate. This, in turn, can cause you to feel dizzy, find it difficult to concentrate, suffer hunger pangs, or suffer other withdrawal symptoms. The good news is that these problems gradually decrease as the body recovers and becomes accustomed to functioning without nicotine.

As you progress on your journey to a smoke-free life your body will start to react and gradually you’ll begin to feel the hugely positive effects that giving up smoking can have on your health. From the smaller things like improving your sense of taste and smell to those crucial changes like reducing your heart rate, blood pressure and levels of carbon monoxide in your blood.

Longing for a cigarette when you’re trying to quit doesn’t mean you’re a failure, it simply makes you human.

Remember that learning to manage your cravings is a gradual process, but also that the more you stick to these techniques the more effective you’ll become at battling them. Revisit our section on how to help distract yourself from these cravings.