The patch seems to work well for certain more passive personalities, but others like to manage their own detox. For these take-control types, gum is the only way to go. Says Jacques Ledoux who quit four months ago and is still off the weed, “I tried the patch but even with it, sometimes I wanted a smoke. With the gum, when I get the urge, I just pop in a piece, chew down on it and that’s it.” Mr Ledoux is so fond of the gum that he chews seven or eight pieces a day, sometimes more.

Nicotine patches are the kings of the nicotine replacement game. They are small, self-adhesive patches that you stick on your skin so that nicotine can enter your bloodstream at a steady rate all day. When you smoke or use other nicotine replacement therapies, you get a “spike” of high nicotine level in your blood, which then lowers until you feel the need to take another dose and top up your nicotine levels. The patch just keeps you at a steady level all the time and gets you accustomed to that without expecting to have occasional high levels. Patches come in different strengths, and you go from the strongest one you need to the weakest available, and then stop using them altogether.

The advantages of nicotine patches are that they provide you with a steady supply of nicotine without your having to think about it; they work in any situation (although you can’t wear them in swimming pools or while bathing, but most of us don’t feel particularly tempted to smoke then, anyway); and they provide a strong deterrent to smoking because if you smoke while you are wearing one or for hours after taking one off, you could suffer symptoms of nicotine overdose, such as death.

The disadvantages of nicotine patches are that they are relatively expensive; they can irritate the skin on which they are placed; they cause you to have weird dreams and not sleep very well if you wear them after you go to bed; if you don’t wear them after you go to bed it can be a bit rough in the morning before you get a patch on and it starts working; and, if you are dumb and you smoke while you are wearing a patch or shortly after removing one, you could suffer symptoms of nicotine overdose, such as death.

Nicoderm CQ seems to be the most popular brand for Nicotine Patches.

• The 16-hour patch works well for light-to-average tobacco users. It is less likely to cause side effects like skin irritation, racing heartbeat, sleep problems, and headache. But it does not deliver nicotine during the night, so it is not helpful for early morning withdrawal symptoms.
• The 24-hour patch provides a steady dose of nicotine, avoiding peaks and troughs. It helps with early morning withdrawal. However, there may be more side effects such as disrupted sleep patterns and skin irritation.

Depending on body size, most tobacco users should start using a full-strength patch (15-22 mg of nicotine) daily for 4 weeks, and then use a weaker patch (5-14 mg of nicotine) for another 4 weeks. The patch should be applied in the morning to a clean, dry area of the skin without much hair. It should be placed below the neck and above the waist - for example, on the arm. The FDA recommends using the patch for a total of 3 to 5 months. However, some studies have shown that using it for 8 weeks or less is just as effective as using it for longer.

Use nicotine patches exactly as prescribed. The general procedure is as follows:

• Take a fresh patch out of its packaging and remove the protective liner from the adhesive. Save the wrapper for later disposal of the used patch.
• Stick the patch onto your outer upper arm or any clean, dry, non-hairy part of your trunk.
• Press the patch firmly onto your skin for about 10 seconds, making sure that the edges are sticking well.
• Wash your hands. Any nicotine sticking to your hands could get into your eyes or nose, causing irritation.
• After 16 or 24 hours (depending on the brand), remove that patch and apply a fresh patch to a different spot on your body. To reduce the chances of irritation, do not return to a previously used spot for at least a week.
• Fold the used patch in half, place it back in its own wrapper, and throw it in a trash container that cannot be reached by children or pets.

More information:

Nicoderm CQ
Nicotine Replacement Therapy - NRT
How do I use the patch?