Nicotine gum
From Freepedia
Nicotine gum is a type of chewing gum that delivers nicotine to the body. It is used as an aid in smoking cessation and in quitting smokeless tobacco. The nicotine is delivered to the bloodstream via absorption by the tissues of the mouth. The gum is first chewed until it is soft and a tingly sensation and/or peppery taste is noticed, after which it is pressed between the cheek and gums. When the tingly sensation stops, the gum is chewed again, and then pinched between the cheek and gums in a different place in the mouth. This is continued until the gum is depleted of nicotine (about 30 minutes).
It is currently available over-the-counter in the US. The pieces are usually available in individual foil packages without mint or other flavourings commonly found in chewing gum. Each piece typically contains 2 or 4 mg of nicotine, with the appropriate dosage depending on the smoking habits of the user. Popular brands include Nicorette.
Alternative therapies include the nicotine patch and the nicotine inhaler.
Nicotine, although a poison in large doses, is not the most harmful element of cigarette smoke. However, it is the only addictive element, therefore there is a possibility of addiction to nicotine gum: cf.
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/addiction/messages/30735a.html and http://www.peele.net/faq/nicorette.html
There seem to be many "recreational" users of the leading brand Nicorette in the USA who ignore dosage levels and throw away the guidelines and stickers provided with the product and despite FDA oversight, these users contribute to the profits made by the gum's vendors.
The drug company's studies indicate that changing to nicotine gum causes people to quit both the gum and smoking, but this will work only for that population of smokers who could (in the era prior to nicotine replacement) gradually smoke fewer cigarettes per day. Whereas heavy and "chain" smokers often report success by going "cold turkey" especially when they (like the late runners Jim Fixx and George Sheehan) find a powerful replacement activity of which running seems to be the most effective.
Nicotine gum may also drive the user to "spit" tobacco because it replaces the activity of "lighting up" with a reinforced oral self-dosage, and when the nicotine gum user runs out of the gum (or cannot afford its prices, which are very high in the USA) he may turn to hazardous forms of "spit" or chewing tobacco. This is less likely to be a problem for residents of the United Kingdom where nicotine gum is also available on prescription from general practitioners, free of charge for users on low incomes and at the subsidised National Health Service prescription charge for other users.
Two unpleasant symptoms noticed by new users and by existing users who make excessive use of the gum in times of stress are hiccups and a perceived constriction of the throat muscles.
Nicotine gum played a minor role in September 11, for when transatlantic planes were grounded in Canada and waited while the Canadians organized their relief effort for the stranded passengers, nicotine gum and patches were brought to some aircraft for the relief of smokers.
