Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

More than 130 clinical studies confirm the efficacy and safety of NICORETTE Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). By using our products, your chance of successfully quitting smoking is doubled versus willpower alone.

The nicotine in Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products, like NICORETTE, is absorbed through the skin or the saliva. As a result, nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms are alleviated. NICORETTE helps you control your desire to smoke so that you can gradually reduce your nicotine intake and wean your body from nicotine. Therefore, NICORETTE makes it easier for you to quit smoking. By using our products, your chance of successfully quitting smoking is doubled versus willpower alone.

If you’re used to getting nicotine via cigarettes, this scratchy sensation is not uncommon. When you smoke cigarettes, the nicotine is absorbed through your lungs. When you use NICORETTE products, you absorb nicotine through your saliva. Since it’s a new way of absorbing nicotine, it can lead to irritation of your pharynx. After some time, the scratchy sensation should subside.

NICORETTE products help to reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms when you quit smoking. In most cases, using our products over three months is a sufficient amount of time to allow you to quit smoking for good. However, three months may be too short for some smokers and without Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), they’d be in danger of returning to cigarettes. Therefore, they could extend their use of NICORETTE to six months. If you are still using NICORETTE after six months, you should speak with a healthcare professional. It’s important to note that therapeutic nicotine is not carcinogenic nor harmful to the cardiovascular system. The health damage from smoking is entirely due to the contaminants of cigarette smoke.

NICORETTE products are available both online and at local stores.

Combination Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is when you use a patch along with gum, lozenge, or oral spray, etc. It may be a therapy strategy that a healthcare professional would advise for a heavily dependent smoker and/or someone who has previously failed to quit with NRT. For further advice about combination or dual therapy, please consult your doctor.

Yes, you can use NICORETTE products if you’re diabetic. However, you should monitor your blood sugar levels more often when starting to use Nicorette, as you may find your insulin or medication requirements alter. Our products are sugar free (do not contain sucrose) and contain sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium (also known as acesulfame K). Please speak with your healthcare professional for more information.

The maximum dosage of nicotine over a period of 24 hours is 64 mg. If you plan to use the patch with an oral product, you should speak with your healthcare professional.

It is not recommended since nicotine can have harmful effects on the fetus. If you’re pregnant, please consult your doctor. Only after a careful benefit-risk assessment by your doctor and with his or her recommendation, would using Nicorette be allowed. If you’re a smoker who’s planning a family, or who’s pregnant or breastfeeding, you should know these facts about smoking and NRT.

Product-Related Questions

No, NICORETE Gum is sugar-free and doesn’t promote tooth decay. Using the gum regularly also does not increase calories.

If you don’t use NICORETTE QuickMist for two days or more, prime the pump by pressing the top firmly into a tissue until a fine mist appears. You may need to press down more firmly on the upper part of the dispenser or check if the dispenser is empty. Usually NICORETTE QuickMist contains about 150 sprays.

NICORETTE QuickMist should be primed/loaded properly to be used effectively. Prime the spray pump if you are using the product for the first time or if you have not used it for 2 days. To do this, point the spray safely away from you and press firmly the top of the dispenser with your index finger several times until a fine spray appears.

Some people may experience hiccups after using QuickMist, but this is nothing to worry about. Hiccups are generally mild and do not affect continued use of the product. If the hiccups get worse, please consult your healthcare professional.

NICORETTE QuickMist contains a very small amount of alcohol, less than 100 mg per spray.
If you are unable to consume alcohol, you should consult your healthcare professional for advice on which product to use. Our product range contains a number of other flexible formats, such as NICORETTE Gum, Inhaler, Nasal Spray, and Lozenge which may be more suitable.

You can leave the NICORETTE Patch on when you have a short shower or bath, or when you are in the sun.

You should remove the NICORETTE Patch for all sporting activities in which you sweat heavily, your heart rate is greatly increased, and/or your body temperature rises.

The NICORETTE Inhaler is like a cigarette in that it keeps your hands busy, but it doesn’t contain the toxic or carcinogenic ingredients found in tobacco smoke. Our inhaler contains therapeutic nicotine - just enough to reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine-Related Questions

It’s not the nicotine, but the numerous toxins in cigarette smoke that cause the many smoking-related diseases, including cancer, chronic lung disease, and heart disease. Reducing your risk for developing these diseases is among the many benefits of quitting smoking.

The nicotine found in a cigarette is responsible for the dependence. Your body gets used to smoking and keeping a constant level of nicotine in the blood. Whenever the intake stops your body experiences withdrawal symptoms. With Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), like NICORETTE, your body receives a dose of medical nicotine through your skin (with the patch), or via your saliva (with the spray, lozenge, gum, and inhaler). Therefore, the physical craving for a cigarette is satisfied. However, NRT doesn’t create the intoxicating effect or the "kick" that tobacco triggers. NICORETTE helps you control your desire to smoke so that you can gradually reduce your nicotine intake and wean your body from nicotine. By using our products, your chance of successfully quitting smoking is doubled versus willpower alone.

In small amounts, nicotine is not toxic for a smoker. Smokers are accustomed to a high dose of nicotine so overdosing with NICORETTE is not expected. However, non-smokers may feel nauseous if they try our products. For children, nicotine can have extremely harmful effects. That is why NICORETTE QuickMist and NICORETTE Lozenge both come with a child lock. All Nicorette products always should be kept out of children’s reach.

No, yellowish discoloration of fingers and teeth is caused by the tar in cigarette smoke.