Using Oral NRT to Cut Down to Quit
Cutting down to quit using oral Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) involves using an oral NRT product for a longer period of time, in order to cut down your smoking before quitting completely.
If you’re struggling to find any motivation to quit smoking but would at least like to do something towards your quit attempt, cutting down to quit using oral NRT might be worth a try.
How to cut down using oral NRT
1. 1-6 weeks: Try cutting down on your smoking at a comfortable rate – perhaps by 50% over this period. Do this by using a piece of NRT gum, an NRT lozenge, one spray of the NRT mouth spray, or by using the NRT inhaler in between your usual cigarettes or when you get a craving.
2. 6 weeks – 9 months: Keep cutting down on your smoking, heading towards zero, using your oral NRT.
3. After quitting: Continue using NRT for another 8-12 weeks.
Make sure you read the consumer medicine information sheet for your NRT brand. It’s also a good idea to speak to your GP or pharmacist for guidance.
With this approach, your confidence and motivation to quit can improve quickly, so you might find you’re ready to quit completely soon after commencing.