Frequently Asked Questions

NICORETTE® has a range of products to suit a range of smokers, because people are different and so too are their smoking habits. Whatever type of smoker you are, you can be confident that your pharmacist can advise on which NICORETTE® product is most suitable for your needs.

On average, a moderate to heavy smoker will spend approximately $50-$80 per week, compared to NICORETTE® which costs around $25-$50 per week. More important than the short term weekly cost of NRT is the long term cost to your health if you continue to smoke

Set a stop smoking day so that your approach is planned. This allows you to:

• Remove temptations (throw away cigarettes, hide ashtrays)
• Juggle your social calendar (avoid tempting situations, parties etc in the early stages)
• Tell family and friends that you are going to quit smoking - ask for their support.

When your stop smoking day arrives, stop smoking completely on that day and begin your NICORETTE® treatment.

If you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription in a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, the way these medicines work may be affected once you stop smoking.

These medicines include, paracetamol, caffeine, theophylline, oxazepam, oestrogens, warfarin, lignocaine, insulin, imipramine, pentazocine.

Seek medical advice from your doctor or a pharmacist.

When you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. There is medical evidence that nicotine in any form may be harmful to an unborn child. Therefore it is recommended that you do not use NICORETTE® if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.

When you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed. Nicotine passes freely into breast milk and can affect the health of the baby. Therefore it is recommended that you do not use NICORETTE® if you are breastfeeding or intend to breast-feed.

You have heart disease such as palpitations (fast or irregular heart beats or angina).
You have had a recent heart attack or a stroke
You have long term skin disorders like psoriasis or dermatitis.

You are a non-smoker, or only smoke occasionally.

The fact is, it's not the nicotine, but the thousands of toxins present in tobacco and its combustion products that are responsible for the vast majority of tobacco-caused disease. NICORETTE® contains nicotine in controlled doses - just enough to relieve your cravings, but sparing you the damaging tar and carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke, which are the primary causes of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Avoid stopping the programme before 12 or 16 weeks, as your body may still be craving nicotine. The 16 week programme gradually steps you down from your nicotine addiction. Quitters are individual so speak with your pharmacist if you have any questions. Without any Nicotine Replacement Therapy, the temptation to smoke may be hard to resist if you don't complete the programme. The dosage is a guide only. The dose is individual and depends on how much nicotine you need to reduce the withdrawal symptoms.

It may be useful to keep NICORETTE® Inhaler or NICORETTE® Gum with you even after you have finished the programme. Then, if you feel you are going to reach for a cigarette, you can avoid relapsing by reaching for your NICORETTE® product instead.

Do not use NICORETTE® Gum if:

• Your mouth or throat is sore.
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• You are a non smoker.
• You are allergic to nicotine or to any of the ingredients listed.
• The expiry date printed on the carton has passed.
• The packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

NICORETTE® is not recommended for children.
NICORETTE® Gum should only be given to people with the advice from a pharmacist.

Let your pharmacist know if you have:

• Any type of heart disease, including angina or recent heart attack
• High blood pressure or any blood circulation disorder
• Kidney disease
• Stomach ulcer or pain
• Hyperthyroidism (a disorder of the thyroid gland)
• Diabetes
• Phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland)
• If you are taking any other medicines.
• If you have dentures, dental caps or partial bridges.

NICORETTE® Gum may stick to your dentures, dental caps or partial bridges and therefore may cause damage to your dental work. It is important that your dental work is kept clean. You should stop chewing NICORETTE® Gum if it is sticking to your dental work and discuss further use of NICORETTE® Gum with your doctor and dentist.

Do not chew NICORETTE® Gum when eating or drinking.



This causes excessive swallowing of nicotine, reducing the effectiveness of NICORETTE® . Do not drink acidic beverages, such as coffee or soft drinks, for 15 minutes before chewing as they can interfere with the absorption of nicotine.

NICORETTE® Gum releases nicotine into your saliva. This nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your mouth and enters your bloodstream. Any nicotine that is swallowed in saliva is broken down in your stomach. It is therefore wasted.



So it is important to chew NICORETTE® Gum slowly so that the nicotine is released a little at a time and absorbed through the lining of the mouth.



If NICORETTE® Gum is chewed too quickly or for too long, a lot of saliva is produced and swallowed which reduces NICORETTE®'s ability to work effectively. Too much chewing may also produce an unpleasant strong taste, which is useful sign that you should slow down or stop chewing. Chewing too quickly may at first irritate the throat or cause hiccups or make you feel sick.



So remember that if the taste is too strong you are chewing too fast.

Usually, the 4mg strength is recommended if you smoke 20 or more cigarettes in a day or are a smoker who has not been able to quit smoking using the 2mg strength. Otherwise, you should use the 2mg strength.

The amount of NICORETTE® Gum you chew each day depends on your former smoking habits. Usually, it is recommended that a piece of NICORETTE® Gum should be used when the urge to smoke is felt. Because nicotine is released from NICORETTE® Gum at a slower rather than from a cigarette, it is important that you do not try to delay chewing in the hope that the urge to smoke will go away. NICORETTE® needs extra time to work and be effective.



It is recommended that you do not chew more than twenty-four pieces in one day.

It is recommended that NICORETTE® Gum be used for 12 weeks to help you get over your psychological desire to smoke. After 12 weeks you should gradually reduce the number of pieces of NICORETTE® chewed per day. It should take another 4 weeks to reduce NICORETTE® down to 1-2 pieces per day. Don't be discouraged by this, it is all part of the smoking cessation process.



When you reach this stage you can call yourself an ex-smoker, but there is still the chance that you may lapse back to your smoking habit, so always carry some NICORETTE® Gum just in case you feel an urge to smoke.



The use of NICORETTE® Gum beyond one year is not recommended.

Overdosages can occur if many pieces of NICORETTE® Gum are chewed at the same time or rapidly one after the other. There is only a small risk of poisoning with nicotine because early nausea and vomiting are known to occur with excessive nicotine intake.

The expiry date of NICORETTE® Gum is on the label of the carton and on the foil of the bubble pack. Do not use NICORETTE® Gum if the expiry date has passed. Leave all the pieces in the bubble pack until immediately before use.



Store NICORETTE® Gum below 25 degrees Celsius. Exposure to temperatures greater than 25 degrees (e.g. if carried in a shirt pocket or stored in a car glove box for long periods) may cause deterioration of the Gum.

Yes, NICORETTE® Gum is sugar free. Alternatively, you can use the NICORETTE® Inhaler.

With NICORETTE® Gum and Microtab you should get relief from nicotine cravings within minutes. With the NICORETTE® Inhaler you can expect the same. With the NICORETTE® 16 Hour Patch the time is greater. But remember, it is worn until you go to bed. During this time the patch is slowly releasing nicotine to help relieve your cravings.

To give yourself the best chance of long term success, the NICORETTE® Inhaler should be used regularly for a period of at least three months, in the following way:



It is important that you use NICORETTE® Inhaler for long enough to help overcome your dependence on cigarettes.

Remove the cartridge from the mouthpiece after use. The cartridge should be immediately disposed of as normal household waste.

Use of the inhaler beyond 6 months is not recommended.

Stop smoking completely when you start using NICORETTE® inhaler. Symptoms of nicotine overdose can occur if you smoke at the same time as you use the inhaler.

Signs of overdose or poisoning include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Salivating
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain
• Cold sweats
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Disturbed hearing and vision
• Weakness, faintness and fatigue
• Breathing difficulties
• Loss of consciousness
• Weak, rapid or irregular pulse

Children have a greater risk of poisoning from the NICORETTE® inhaler and cartridges (whether used or not) if accidentally inhaled, swallowed, chewed or sucked. For this reason it is important to keep both used and unused cartridges out of the reach of children.

It is recommended that you use the Step 1 (15mg) NICORETTE® Patch for 12 weeks to help you get over your psychological desire to smoke.

After 8 weeks you should gradually reduce the amount of nicotine by changing the strength of the patch you use over the next 4 weeks.

Use the next lower strength Step 2 (10mg) for two weeks, and then the lowest strength Step 3 (5mg) for 2 weeks.

This gradual reduction in the amount of nicotine will help your body get used to going without nicotine.

You should not use NICORETTE® patches if the expiry date printed on the carton has passed or the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

If you notice some symptoms you could use a lower strength patch for a little longer. Don't be discouraged by this, it is all part of the smoking cessation process.

When you reach this stage you can call yourself an ex-smoker, but there is still the chance that you may lapse back to your smoking habit. If you feel you need to keep using the patch, use the lowest strength patch to prevent you from having symptoms.

But don't forget, while you are wearing a patch your body may still be dependent on nicotine.

The use of NICORETTE® Patch beyond one year is not recommended.

Overdosage can occur if more than one patch is used, or you smoke or chew nicotine containing gum while you are wearing a patch.

There is a small risk that young children may be poisoned with nicotine if they put a patch in their mouth or apply them (especially more than one) to their own skin.

Anyone who swallows a patch needs immediate medical attention.

Signs of overdose or poisoning include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Cold sweats
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Disturbed hearing and vision
• Mental confusion
• Weakness, faintness and fatigue
• Loss of consciousness
• Weak, rapid or irregular pulse

In the event of yourself or someone else showing symptoms seek medical advice.

Immediately telephone your doctor for advice or go to a A&E at the nearest hospital.

You can also help by doing the following:

• Remove all the nicotine patches
• Flush the skin with water and dry it

Do not use soap as this may increase absorption.

After removal fold the used patch in half with the sticky side inward. Place the folded patch inside the opened pouch or wrap it in a piece of aluminium foil. The used patch should then be disposed of carefully where children or animals cannot get hold of it.



Important: Immediately after applying or removing a NICORETTE® patch wash and dry your hands thoroughly so that you cannot get any nicotine into y our eyes or nose. Do not use soap as this may increase absorption.

Do not use a patch if the pouch or patch are damaged.



Keep all the pouches in the box until immediately before use. Store NICORETTE® Patch at temperatures below 25 degrees. Storage in a car in hot weather may cause damage to the patch.

NICORETTE® has a range of products to suit a range of smokers, because people are different and so too are their smoking habits. Whatever type of smoker you are, you can be confident that your pharmacist can advise on which NICORETTE® product is most suitable for your needs.

On average, a moderate to heavy smoker will spend approximately $50-$80 per week, compared to NICORETTE® which costs around $25-$50 per week. More important than the short term weekly cost of NRT is the long term cost to your health if you continue to smoke

Set a stop smoking day so that your approach is planned. This allows you to:

• Remove temptations (throw away cigarettes, hide ashtrays)
• Juggle your social calendar (avoid tempting situations, parties etc in the early stages)
• Tell family and friends that you are going to quit smoking - ask for their support.

When your stop smoking day arrives, stop smoking completely on that day and begin your NICORETTE® treatment.

If you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription in a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, the way these medicines work may be affected once you stop smoking.

These medicines include, paracetamol, caffeine, theophylline, oxazepam, oestrogens, warfarin, lignocaine, insulin, imipramine, pentazocine.

Seek medical advice from your doctor or a pharmacist.

When you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. There is medical evidence that nicotine in any form may be harmful to an unborn child. Therefore it is recommended that you do not use NICORETTE® if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.

When you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed. Nicotine passes freely into breast milk and can affect the health of the baby. Therefore it is recommended that you do not use NICORETTE® if you are breastfeeding or intend to breast-feed.

You have heart disease such as palpitations (fast or irregular heart beats or angina).
You have had a recent heart attack or a stroke
You have long term skin disorders like psoriasis or dermatitis.

You are a non-smoker, or only smoke occasionally.

The fact is, it's not the nicotine, but the thousands of toxins present in tobacco and its combustion products that are responsible for the vast majority of tobacco-caused disease. NICORETTE® contains nicotine in controlled doses - just enough to relieve your cravings, but sparing you the damaging tar and carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke, which are the primary causes of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Avoid stopping the programme before 12 or 16 weeks, as your body may still be craving nicotine. The 16 week programme gradually steps you down from your nicotine addiction. Quitters are individual so speak with your pharmacist if you have any questions. Without any Nicotine Replacement Therapy, the temptation to smoke may be hard to resist if you don't complete the programme. The dosage is a guide only. The dose is individual and depends on how much nicotine you need to reduce the withdrawal symptoms.

It may be useful to keep NICORETTE® Inhaler or NICORETTE® Gum with you even after you have finished the programme. Then, if you feel you are going to reach for a cigarette, you can avoid relapsing by reaching for your NICORETTE® product instead.