There’s a wealth of products to help quitting smokers soothe the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, but how do you known which is the right one for you? Health Reporter JANE PICKEN gets the lowdown on how they work.

STUBBING it out for good has never been easier thanks to products specifically designed to beat the cravings that can drive smokers crazy.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products work by easing withdrawal symptoms, including cravings, anxiety and irritability, and can improve any smoker’s chances of giving up compared with willpower alone.

The nicotine in these products is supplied in a controlled way, and the dose is gradually reduced until there is none.

Here Newcastle specialist stop-smoking adviser Jen Anderson explains how they work and we ask seasoned smokers what did the trick for them.


These small flesh-coloured squares give a continual supply of nicotine and are good for moderate to heavy smokers who light up steadily all day long.

“We use two types of patches – 24-hour and 16-hour,” said Jen. “We’ll go for 24-hour ones for heavy smokers who like a cigarette as soon as they get out of bed.

“But they can cause sleeplessness and nightmares, so we warn people about this and tell them to take the 24-hour patch off before retiring.”

VERDICT: Retired Joan Ross, 61, from Gateshead, gave up in January after smoking since the age of 15. She said: “I used the patches for eight weeks to give up in January and they were great.

“They took away the cravings and were easy to use and I don’t think I could’ve done it without them. But I also found normal chewing gum or a mint really worked with cravings.”

2: GUM

Nicotine is released once the gum has been chewed and pushed to the side of the mouth. This helps anyone struggling by giving them an instant hit.

“The gum works on what we call a ‘chew and park’ basis,” explained Jen. “You chew the gum for a few seconds until its stopped and then park it in your mouth so it can start releasing nicotine to be absorbed through the lining of the mouth into the bloodstream.

“If you continue to chew it, the nicotine will just get dissolved into the saliva and the gum won’t work. One piece of gum should last for 20 to 30 minutes.”

VERDICT: Nursery worker Barbara Ingledew, 51, from Fenham, used the gum to quit 14 years ago and after starting again two years ago, she has decided to use it again. She said: “I found it really helpful because it takes away the cravings.

“It keeps you occupied and it’s good knowing you’ve got that supply of nicotine.”


These tiny white tablets are ideal for people who do not like chewing gum and release nicotine in a one-off burst.

“Lozenges work on a suck-and-park basis like the gym,” said Jen. “You suck it initially and then leave it in your mouth without doing anything until it has dissolved.

“It releases nicotine and every once in a while it should be moved around the mouth but not actively sucked. It’s good for people who give up and crave snacks, as you can’t eat while the lozenge is in your mouth.”


This long thin white plastic tube looks like a cigarette, delivering nicotine in a puff, so it is ideal for smokers who like the hand-to-mouth action of smoking.

“A cartridge is put inside the inhalator and each one is the equivalent of about 20 minutes of active smoking,” said Jen. “They’re very useful for people with a strong habit because they miss the hand-to- mouth action.

“If you think for a person who used to smoke 20 a day they would have been used to doing that movement 200 times a day and it becomes a big habit, but an inhalator can be used for that.”

VERDICT: New mum Emma Watson, 23, from Battlefield, Newcastle, gave up smoking when she discovered she was pregnant with son Dylan, who is now five months. She said: “The inhalator was good but I found after a while I got a sore throat.

“I actually found the gum was better and it can be tricky changing the cartridges when you want to use the inhalator. I also had that habit of holding a cigarette and the did help with that.”


These tiny pill-like products release nicotine slowly as they dissolve under the tongue and are good for people who like to be discreet about using NRT.

“Microtabs dissolve in about 20 minutes and all you need to do it put them under your tongue,” explained Jen. “Smokers often tell me the tabs are quite hot and peppery but that’s just their flavour.

“Unfortunately you can’t get them in different flavours as you can with chewing gum.”

VERDICT: Dad-of-two Scott Robinson, from Bedlington, gave up by using microtabs, an inhalator and patches. The 35-year-old nurse said: “When you get the urge for a cigarette the microtabs work instantly so they’re really affective. I would have about seven or eight a day, but they don’t taste that pleasant.”


This releases a concentrated fast-acting dose of nicotine into the nose and is great for immediate relief from strong cravings.

“This is the quickest-acting of all the products – the spray soaks in instantly,” said Jen. “One dose is the equivalent to a spray in each nostril and this should be done once every half-hour.

“It tends to be used for fairly addictive smokers and the only drawback is it can be quite difficult to use.

“When you first use it, the inhalator can make your eyes water and we wouldn’t give it to people who have nose bleeds.”


Tips to started

Even for people over the age of 50, stopping smoking could help to avoid nine out of 10 health risks associated with continuing. Here are some tips to get you started:

Choose a quit day but make things easy and don’t choose a stressful week.

Write a list of the main reasons for giving up on a wall chart. Look at it whenever your motivation weakens.

Write down how you feel and what triggers make you want to smoke. Work out how to avoid them and use the wall chart to keep a note of how you’re doing.

Consider using patches, gums or lozenges as these double your chances of quitting compared to willpower alone.


How to beat craving

Wait for the smoking urge to pass: a craving usually lasts for between three and five minutes so try having a glass of water, counting to 10 or taking deep breaths.

Munch away the cravings: try sucking on a boiled sweet or eating carrot or celery sticks but avoid reaching for the biscuit tin!

Chew: Try an extra piece of nicotine gum to help stave off the desire.

Find a cigarette replacement: if you miss not having a cigarette in your hand find something else to play with such as a pencil.

Distract yourself: take a shower, call or email a friend or even try doing a crossword. But just talking to someone might help.

Alcohol temptation: try avoiding the pub until cravings have died down as having a drink could tempt you to sneak outside for a cig.

Keep yourself occupied: try taking up a new sport, exercise regime or hobby and you’ll get fit while beating the cravings.