You should start using the gum after your last cigarette.

Anyone who smokes more than 20 cigarettes a day and who smokes within an hour of waking in the morning should use the 4mg gum (see products and brands). If you smoke less than this you can use either the 2mg or the 4mg gum.

Do not wait until you feel the urge to smoke before using the gum; use regularly throughout the day. Aim to use one piece of gum an hour - around 10 - 15 pieces a day, especially at the start of treatment.

The gum may taste a little unpleasant at first, and irritate the throat. Do not be put off by this. The gum is a medicine, not a sweet. Most people adapt to it very well after persisting for a day or two, but it may take up to a week to get used to it.

Chewing the gum releases nicotine, which is absorbed in your mouth and released into the blood stream. Place the gum in your mouth and chew until you get a hot and peppery taste in your mouth. This is the nicotine being released and usually only takes a couple of minutes.

Then 'park' the gum in the side of your mouth where the nicotine will be absorbed through the lining of the cheek. After a few minutes repeat the process. Each piece of gum should be chewed like this for about 20 minutes.

If you chew the nicotine gum continuously like a piece of normal gum it will not give you as much nicotine as it should because you will be swallowing the nicotine rather than absorbing it through the lining of your mouth. The gum will also probably taste foul and could give you indigestion.

Peak levels of nicotine are reached 20 - 40 minutes after placing the gum in your mouth.

For the gum to be effective you will need to take between 10 and 15 pieces a day. This will allow your body to absorb about half of the average levels of nicotine in your system as you were getting when you were smoking cigarettes. This is enough to be of substantial help in reducing or removing the urge to smoke and withdrawal symptoms.

Using 1 or 2 bits of gum a day is unlikely to be helpful.

Try to avoid fizzy drinks, tea or coffee before or during using the gum as they will increase the acidity of your saliva and decrease absorption of nicotine. If you have had one of these drinks and you are due for some gum, rinse your mouth out with water first.

Nicotine gum should be used fully for at least 8 - 12 weeks after stopping smoking. The dose should be gradually reduced over the last 2 weeks of treatment.

For information on:

nicotine products that are available and their prices please click here.

the side effects of NRT click here.