For Consumers
Smoking - Medicines To Help You Quit
Why Quit?
- lower your chance of dying of lung cancer
- improve your skin
- reduce bad breath
Why is it so hard to quit?
- crave cigarettes
- feel nervous
- feel irritable (cranky)
- have headaches
- have problems sleeping
- feel depressed
These may be signs of nicotine withdrawal. Talk to your health care provider about the medicines listed in this booklet that may help you deal with withdrawal.
Nicotine Replacement Products
- Read the label and talk to your healthcare provider as needed about the right way to use each product.
- Ask how these products will affect your other medicines. Ask about the risks and side effects.
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should only use nicotine replacement products if their doctor says that it is OK.
| Product Type | Product Name | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Patch | Habitrol Nicoderm Store Brand or Generic | Over-the-Counter |
| Gum | Nicorette Store Brand or Generic | Over-the-Counter |
| Nasal Spray | Nicotrol | Prescription |
| Inhaler | Nicotrol | Prescription |
| Lozenge | Commit Nicorette Store Brand or Generic | Over-the-Counter |
You can get up-to-date facts about each product on the FDA website. Type in the brand name or generic name of your product at: Drugs@FDA.
Other Medicines to Help You Quit
Some prescription medicines have been found to help people deal the withdrawal symptoms they feel when they quit smoking. Talk to your health care provider about the benefits, risks, and side effects for each medicine. Before taking these medicines, tell your doctor if you have ever had depression or other mental health problems. You should also tell your doctor about any symptoms you had during other times you tried to quit smoking.
| Product Type | Brand Name | Generic Name | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pill | Zyban | Bupropion | Prescription |
| Pill | Chantix | Varenicline Tartrate | Prescription |
- Think about dying or killing yourself
- Try to kill yourself
- Feel depressed or your depression gets worse
- Feel anxious or your anxiety gets worse
- Have panic attacks
- Have trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Feel very agitated or restless
- Feel irritable
- Feel or act aggressive, angry or violent
- Act on dangerous impulses
- Talk or act more than you typically do (mania)
- Have thoughts or sensations that are not typical for you
- See or hear things that are not there (hallucinations)
- Fell like people are against you (paranoia)
- Feel confused
- Notice other changes in your behavior or mood that are not typical for you
You can get up-to-date facts about each product on the FDA website. Type in the brand name or generic name of your product at: Drugs@FDA.
Quit Smoking Tips
- Pick a day in the next 2 weeks.
- Plan fun activities for your quit day to take your mind off smoking and tobacco.
- Get help from the important people in your life.
- Join a support group.
- Call a quit smoking helpline.
- Plan ways to deal with cravings, withdrawal, and stress.
- Do not give up.
- Get rid of cigarettes and tobacco.
- Throw out your matches, lighters, and ashtrays.
- Clean your clothes and house to get rid of cigarette smell.
- Talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about medicines to help you deal with nicotine withdrawal.
- Ask if your other medicines will work differently now that you have quit smoking.
This booklet was developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Women's Health. To download free copies of this booklet and other materials visit: www.fda.gov/womens
