How to Use Quit Smoking Medicines
Quit-smoking medicines include nicotine replacement medicines (the nicotine patch, lozenge, gum, oral inhaler, and nasal spray) and pill medicines (varenicline and bupropion). Click on the medicine below for information about how to use it, and tips for using it successfully.
Not sure which medicine to use? See more information first for help determining which medicines might be the best for you to use.
This page gives an overview about how to use quit-smoking medicines correctly, including some quick tips. Always read the labels of your medications and follow any instructions you receive from your doctor or other healthcare provider. If you have questions or concerns, speak with your healthcare provider or a pharmacist.
The quit-smoking medicines listed here are approved by the FDA for adults to use to quit cigarettes. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or younger than 18, you should not use these medicines without talking to your doctor. If you use tobacco products other than cigarettes (like cigars, chew, snuff, hookah, or e-cigarettes), talk to your doctor or other healthcare provider or call the quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) to get help with quitting. All the ways to use medicines presented here are reviewed in Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General (Chapter 6). Some of the ways have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA.