The Nicotine Patch

Nicotine Patch Information

      The nicotine patch is a transdermal patch that delivers nicotine to the body directly through the skin.  The patches come in multiple strengths to accomidate smokers of different levels of addiction.

        If you generally smoke a pack a day or 20 cigarettes a day you should probably start off with the strongest patch(21mg).  After 4-6 weeks without smoking you may move down to the 14 mg patch.  In two more weeks time you move down to the 7mg patch.  After 2 weeks of that you're done.  This slow tapering allows the non smoker to avoid the physical effects of nicotine withdrawal at any point in the proccess.  Some smokers even cut the 7mg patches in half to make 3.5mg patches to use for an additional 2 weeks.  This is not recommended by the manufacturers.

      The patch will run you about $20/week depending on the brand you choose.  This will save most smokers some money in the short term, but if effective will save all smokers a lot of money in the long term.

NOTE:  You should absolutely not smoke while  you are using a nicotine patch.