More than half of Welsh adults who have heard of vapes wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as smoking or worse, new ASH Wales YouGov findings show.
QUIT AID
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
NRT gives you nicotine without tobacco smoke. It can reduce cravings and withdrawal while you get used to not smoking.
The simplest way to think about NRT
Nicotine is what makes cigarettes addictive, but the smoke from burning tobacco causes most of the serious harm.
NRT gives you nicotine in a much safer form, without tar or carbon monoxide, so you can deal with cravings while you break the smoking routine.
One useful rule
Steady support + quick relief often works well.
A patch can give a steady level of nicotine through the day. A faster-acting product such as gum, lozenges or spray can help when a sudden craving hits.
Which type does what?
You do not need to pick one forever. Many people use more than one type.
Patch
Slow and steady
Worn on the skin. Useful for background cravings through the day.
Gum or lozenge
Fast acting
Useful for cravings that come and go. Different strengths are available.
Mouth or nasal spray
Very fast acting
Useful when you want nicotine quickly during a strong craving.
Inhalator
Fast acting
Useful if you miss the hand-to-mouth part of smoking as well as the nicotine.
How much should I use?
Using too little NRT can leave you battling cravings unnecessarily. The right strength depends on how much you smoke, when you smoke and which product you use.
A stop-smoking advisor or pharmacist can help you choose the right strength and combination. Follow the product instructions and ask if you are unsure.
What about nicotine pouches?
Nicotine pouches are not licensed stop-smoking medicines in the UK. If your aim is to quit smoking, licensed NRT, stop-smoking medicines or vaping have a stronger evidence base.
You may be able to get NRT free
Help Me Quit provides free NRT as part of NHS stop-smoking support in Wales. You can also ask a community pharmacy about local stop-smoking services.