Nicotine (oral route, oromucosal route)
Available brands
Commit, Nicorelief, Nicorette, Basic Care Mini Nicotine Polacrilex Lozenge - Mint, Equate Mini Nicotine Lozenge - Fast Dissolving - Mint, Exact Nicotine Lozenge - Mint, Good Sense Nicotine Polacrilex Lozenge - Mint, Life Brand Nicotine Lozenge Mini - Mint, Life Brand Nicotine Lozenge - Mint, Nic-Assist - Mint, Quit Nicotine Gum - Mint
About this medication
Nicotine oral chewing gum and lozenges are used to help you stop smoking. Nicotine is absorbed from the gum or lozenge in the mouth and enters the blood stream. This replaces the nicotine you would get from smoking and makes the withdrawal effects from not smoking less severe. The amount of nicotine is decreased over time until use is stopped. This medicine is available without a prescription, but proof of age (18 years or older) is required. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of oral nicotine in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Small amounts of nicotine can cause serious unwanted effects in children, and lozenges or gum contain enough nicotine to cause problems, including used pieces. No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of oral nicotine in geriatric patients. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
Use this medicine exactly as directed in the dosing section on the label. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. This medicine comes with a patient instruction booklet. Read and follow these instructions carefully. It is also important to use a stop-smoking program that may include education, counseling, and psychological support. This may make it easier for you to stop smoking. Begin using this medicine on your "quit" day, even if you are not able to stop smoking immediately. Chewing gum: Lozenges: The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Wrap used pieces of gum in paper and throw them away in the trash. If you remove a lozenge before it dissolves, wrap it in paper and throw it away in the trash. Make sure the gum or lozenge is out of the reach of children and pets.
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