Nicotine is the chemical in cigarettes that makes them addictive. But alone, it’s no more harmful than caffeine – it’s the tar, tobacco, carbon monoxide and other pollutants in cigarettes that actually damage the body.
This is why nicotine replacement products can be a great way to beat smoking. They can help satisfy your cravings by giving you a hit of nicotine without pumping all the bad stuff found in cigarettes into your body.
Nicotine replacement products come in several forms – some of which may be more effective and healthier than others. This post compares five popular options to help you find the best one for you.
Vapes
Vaping is the most popular alternative to smoking, because it simulates much of the same action of inhaling and exhaling air. When you vape, you breathe the nicotine into your lungs much like smoking. The difference is that you’re not getting all the bad stuff in cigarettes. Unfortunately however, you could still be inhaling a lot of unwanted chemicals when you vape – making this a healthier option, but not a purely healthy option. Vaping therefore should ideally be viewed as a stepping stone to other less harmful nicotine replacement options.
Inhalers
Nicotine inhalers resemble slim plastic cigarettes and release a precise mist of pharmaceutical-grade nicotine each time you draw. Because you still hold and puff on them, they keep the familiar hand-to-mouth ritual alive—yet without combustion or heated vapor. If you’ve been enjoying the variety of flavored vape liquid while stepping down from cigarettes, you’ll appreciate how inhaler cartridges provide a similarly satisfying hit in a clean, measured form, letting you gently reduce cravings by spacing out puffs or switching to lower-dose cartridges over time.
Gum
Chewing a lump of gum in your mouth may not have the same feeling as smoking. However, nicotine gum does still keep your mouth busy, which can help some people satisfy their craving. You can buy chewing gums containing different levels of nicotine, making it possible to lower your intake over time. While nicotine gum works for many people, it isn’t for everyone, and some people find that it gives them a jaw ache or nausea.
Pouches
Nicotine pouches take the form of small cushions containing nicotine that you place between the cheek and gum. This releases the nicotine straight into the mouth like gum. The difference is that you don’t chew them. This reduces the risk of some of the side effects associated with nicotine gum like jaw ache. You can explore different types of nicotine pouches online.
Lozenges
You can also try nicotine lozenges. These hard-boiled sweets that you suck on to release the nicotine. For some people, this sucking action can be a good alternative to smoking, because it forces you to do something with your mouth just like smoking, while giving you a hit of nicotine. Nicotine lozenges are available in a range of different strengths.
Patches
Nicotine patches slowly release nicotine into the body through the skin. Most people wear these patches on their upper arm, but you can wear them pretty much anywhere on the body. Unlike other nicotine replacement products that require you to put something in your mouth, patches are a more passive source of nicotine that may not satisfy cravings for everyone. The fact that they release nicotine slowly instead of as one instant dose also puts some people off. However, patches can be a good way to wean oneself off other forms of nicotine replacements after you’ve given up smoking, allowing you to eventually give up nicotine altogether.
This is a collaborative post