The information on this site is intended to supplement and enhance, not replace, the advice of a physician who is familiar with your medical history. Decisions about your health should always be made ONLY after detailed conversation with your doctor.
Limited Use
[what does this mean?]
Generic drug name:
nicotine
(NICK o teen)
Brand name(s):
COMMIT,
HABITROL,
NICODERM,
NICODERM CQ,
NICORETTE,
NICOTROL,
PROSTEP,
THRIVE
GENERIC:
available
FAMILY:
Nicotine Products
Find the drug label by
searching at DailyMed.
Pregnancy and Breast-feeding Warnings [top]
Pregnancy Warning
Because smoking is extremely dangerous to the developing fetus, the safest thing you can do is not smoke while pregnant (or afterward). Educational and behavioral methods to quit smoking are the best choice. If you cannot stop smoking on your own, use this medicine, if advised to do so by your doctor.
Breast-feeding Warning
No information is available from either human or animal studies. However, since nicotine is excreted into breast milk and could harm your infant, you should consult with your doctor if you are planning to nurse.
Safety Warnings For This Drug [top]
Warning
Nicotine has only been shown to be effective when used as an aid to a comprehensive smoking cessation program. Since the above products contain nicotine, do not continue to smoke while using them.
Facts About This Drug [top]
Nicotine, whether in a patch, gum, inhaler, or nasal spray, is used to assist in quitting smoking. This is the same nicotine found in tobacco, pesticides, and some foods. In these products, nicotine serves as a temporary aid to giving up smoking by reducing physical withdrawal symptoms. However, unless the nicotine product is accompanied by a smoking cessation program, the drug works no better than a placebo,[1] because it is treating only the physical, not the psychological addiction.
Withdr...
Nicotine, whether in a patch, gum, inhaler, or nasal spray, is used to assist in quitting smoking. This is the same nicotine found in tobacco, pesticides, and some foods. In these products, nicotine serves as a temporary aid to giving up smoking by reducing physical withdrawal symptoms. However, unless the nicotine product is accompanied by a smoking cessation program, the drug works no better than a placebo,[1] because it is treating only the physical, not the psychological addiction.
Withdrawal signs from smoking include fatigue, headache, slowed heart rate, hunger, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and dreams about smoking. These symptoms start about two hours after the last cigarette, increase for 24 hours, then decrease over several days or weeks.[2] Signs of withdrawal do not require medical attention. Even people who have severe withdrawal are able to quit successfully.[3],[4]
Aids are simple to use and can lull you into unrealistic expectations. To be effective, the use of nicotine products must be accompanied by changes in behavior. Set a quit date, learn ways to cope with urges to smoke (particularly in the morning, with company, and in response to advertising), and plan ways to cope with relapses.[5] Learn how to deal with anger, anxiety, depression, stress, and tension without smoking. People who smoke are more apt to have a history of being depressed.[6] In addition, those who are anxious or depressed tend to have severe withdrawal.[7],[3] Without learning these coping skills, the patch does not work any better than a nonmedicated Band-Aid. While these aids eliminate smoke, they still contain nicotine. If you continue to smoke while using nicotine replacements, you risk serious heart disease.[1] Success rates of stopping smoking by using nicotine replacements are low, especially after six months or a year.[8],[9],[10],[11],[12],[13] However, smokers who try slow withdrawal are apt to smoke less if they do resume smoking.[8],[2]
Nicotine gum continues to satisfy and reinforce oral habits and may lessen weight gain.[14] The gum is harder and thicker than regular chewing gums and can loosen dental work. Not everyone masters the chewing technique. Patches are easier to use. The 16-hour patch mimics patterns of smoking, but the 24-hour patches may get you through the strong urge to smoke in the morning. Both types can irritate your skin. Overall, the various patches do not differ in the rate of people who quit smoking.[15],[16],[17]
You must also gradually stop using nicotine-containing products to prevent addiction to these nicotine products. Quitting smoking reduces your chances of bronchitis, cancers (especially of the lung, mouth, throat, and voice box), emphysema, heart disease, duodenal ulcers, and dulled sense of smell and taste. People who smoke and take psychotropic drugs often require higher doses of the nicotine and are more apt to have serious adverse effects from the psychotropic drugs, such as akathisia (involuntary restlessness, such as rocking from foot to foot).[18],[19] Typically, the amount of weight gain after stopping smoking is a minimal health risk compared to the risks of smoking.[14]
Although most people quit smoking without the aid of organized programs, we recommend such a program, especially if you are using these products. Nicotine replacement is not appropriate for light smokers. A number of nonprescription aids to smoking cessation are also available, including plain chewing gum. According to one study, these work just as well as nicotine replacements for light smokers, in the absence of a comprehensive smoking cessation program.[20] These also are only temporary aids and must be augmented by changes in behavior to be successful.
Before You Use This Drug [top]
Do not use if you have or have had:
Tell your doctor if you have or have had:
Tell your doctor about any other drugs you take, including aspirin, herbs, vitamins, and other nonprescription products.
When You Use This Drug [top]
For all forms of nicotine replacement therapy:
For nicotine inhaler:
For nicotine nasal spray:
For nicotine gum:
For nicotine patch:
How to Use This Drug [top]
For nicotine nasal spray:
For nicotine gum:
For nicotine patch:
Interactions with Other Drugs [top]
Evaluations of Drug Interactions 2003 lists no drugs, biologics (e.g., vaccines, therapeutic antibodies), or foods as causing “highly clinically significant” or “clinically significant” interactions when used together with the drugs in this section. We also found no interactions in the drugs’ FDA-approved professional package inserts. However, as the number of new drugs approved for marketing increases and as more experience is gained with these drugs over time, new interactions may be discovered.
Adverse Effects [top]
Call your doctor immediately if you experience:
Call your doctor if these symptoms continue:
For nicotine nasal spray:
For nicotine gum:
For nicotine patch:
Call your doctor if these symptoms continue after you stop taking this drug:
Signs of overdose:
If you suspect an overdose, call this number to contact your poison control center: (800) 222-1222.
last reviewed August 31, 2024
Worst Pills, Best Pills is a project of Public Citizen's Health Research Group Group. As an independent, nonprofit organization, we take no corporate or government contributions and accept no advertising. Copyright © 2024 Public Citizen's Health Research Group. All rights reserved.
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