For many, nicotine gum is an incredibly helpful tool for quitting smoking. It’s a safer alternative to smoking or vaping and can help manage cravings so people can give up smoking gradually without experiencing uncomfortable withdrawal effects.
But what happens with nicotine gum becomes a habit that you can’t shake? Quitting nicotine gum can sometimes be surprisingly difficult, especially when it has become part of your everyday routine.
On the surface, chewing a couple of pieces of nicotine gum every day is much better than smoking. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemical compounds, 250 of which are known to be poisonous, and upwards of 70 that have been identified as carcinogenic.
We also know that inhaling secondhand smoke is hazardous, and for a smoker, it’s a double whammy because we breathe in both mainstream and sidestream smoke. It puts us at risk for heart disease, COPD, and cancer, for starters.
Research is ongoing; we don’t yet fully understand all of the dangers that cigarette smoke presents.
That said, while cigarette smoke is worse than nicotine alone, it’s important to remember that nicotine is not a harmless drug. Learn its effects and whether replacement therapies are right for you. We also discuss how to quit nicotine gum and overcome your addiction to this drug.
What Are the Effects of Nicotine?
Research indicates that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can increase your chances of quitting smoking by about 50% to 70%. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks associated with nicotine when using NRT to quit smoking.
Nicotine Is Harmful
There is growing concern that using nicotine long-term may contribute to cancer. Nicotine also affects body function by putting stress on the heart and raising blood pressure.
Nicotine harms the linings of our arteries, which leads to the build-up of plaque, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Additionally, nicotine suppresses insulin output, creating a hyperglycemic condition in smokers.
Nicotine Is Addictive
Although you may consume less nicotine from the gum compared to smoking, it’s important to remember that nicotine is addictive. No matter the amount you use, you’re still maintaining an active addiction.
The message you’re sending to yourself is that you can’t live without nicotine—that you’re not strong enough to give nicotine up completely.
Should You Even Use Nicotine Gum?
Even though nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) have the potential for addiction, they are an effective way to quit smoking. Always use caution, however, and follow your healthcare provider’s and the manufacturer’s instructions.
All forms of NRT except for the nicotine patch are easy to misuse because you take a dose multiple times a day. The patch is the only NRT that is applied once in the morning and offers time-released nicotine throughout the day.
Talk to your healthcare provider about your options and weigh the potential pros and cons of nicotine gum and other options before you decide which one is right for your needs. They may recommend the patch or a combination approach, such as a patch and lozenges or gum as nicotine replacement therapy.
Research suggests that an approach that combines passive nicotine delivery (e.g., a nicotine patch) with an as-needed NRT (e.g., a gum, inhaler, or nasal spray) improves quit rates by 34% to 54% over the patch alone. The patch provides a steady concentration of nicotine while gum, lozenges, and other single-dose NRTs can help with breakthrough cravings.
NRTs have helped many thousands of smokers stop smoking successfully. Just remember that they are not intended for long-term use. Follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly, and wean yourself off the NRT product of your choice in the time period suggested.
Why It’s Important to Quit Nicotine Gum
Recovering from nicotine addiction means learning to handle life’s ups and downs without nicotine. Staying dependent on nicotine, no matter the form, raises your risk of relapsing into smoking. Additionally, as with other habit-forming substances, your tolerance for nicotine can increase over time, leading to higher intake.
When the right (or wrong) situation presents itself, you may find it’s a short jump to lighting up when a piece of nicotine gum isn’t handy or doesn’t do the trick in taking the edge off.
Stressful situations will continue to trigger the urge for nicotine until you clear it out of your system and learn new ways of coping. That can be a recipe for relapse.
Don’t let the unhelpful thinking that comes with nicotine withdrawal convince you to keep using. If you managed to stop smoking, you can go one step further and eliminate your dependence on therapeutic nicotine as well.
How to Quit Nicotine Gum
When first quitting smoking, you’ll likely chew nicotine gum regularly, with some manufacturers recommending that you use around nine pieces per day for six weeks. After this, it’s important to work out a realistic plan to wean yourself off of nicotine gum.
Gradually tapering your use of nicotine gum over a period of time is often the most effective way to stop using it. This way, you slowly reduce the amount of nicotine you are using each day, so you are less likely to experience cravings and withdrawal.
Some steps that you can take to quit nicotine gum include:
- Start slowly: If there are specific times of the day that you use the gum, like first thing in the morning, after meals, etc., choose the one that is the easiest to let go and start skipping that “dose”.
- Cut back gradually: If you’re chewing two or three pieces of nicotine gum per day, start by eliminating just one piece.
- Find alternatives: Substitute a piece of sugar-free gum or a healthy snack instead, and have a plan for a distracting activity should you need it.
Once you are comfortable with the new regimen, repeat the process with the second piece of nicotine gum and then the third until you are off of it completely. It doesn’t matter how much time (within reason) you take between each elimination. Step down when you feel comfortable, always keeping your goal in mind.
Some people can quit nicotine with gum in six to 12 weeks, with others taking longer. Although, it’s generally recommended to not use nicotine gum for more than six months.
If you’ve used nicotine gum for a long time, you may experience withdrawal when stopping its use. While this subject doesn’t appear to have been studied in recent times, one older study found that some long-term nicotine gum users experienced withdrawal symptoms such as increased irritability and trouble concentrating when quitting this NRT.
Support for Nicotine Addiction
Quitting smoking isn’t easy, and you may also find it hard to stop using nicotine gum. Ask for support, and the load you’re bearing will become much lighter.
You’ll be surprised at how understanding others can be. Don’t feel ashamed. You are not the first person who has ever had this problem—far from it.
You deserve a life that is free of nicotine addiction. Believe in yourself. You are strong enough to get nicotine out of your body and out of your life.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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