If you are pregnant or have heart or blood vessel problems, consult your health care provider about whether these products are appropriate for your use. Nicotine replacement therapy can help smokers quit once they're ready. The choice is a personal one. Then, the gum is placed between the cheek and gum. Each piece of gum should be used for about 30 minutes.
Some people develop mild side effects such as hiccups, upset stomach, or jaw ache.
Most of these side effects go away if the gum is used correctly. The gum is available without a doctor's prescription. However, you may want to use 4-mg gum if you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day, have tried and failed to quit on a lower dose, and have severe withdrawal symptoms when you don't smoke. The nicotine patch first become available as a prescription medication. It became available in 1996 without a prescription, and studies have shown it to be safe and effective.