The Truth About Nicotine & NRT

It’s important for you to understand the part that nicotine plays in smoking addiction and how it compares to the other ingredients in a cigarette. Now you can replace common misconceptions with the facts about nicotine and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

•  Nicotine does not cause cancer. 
  
  Nicotine hasn’t been proven to cause cancer. There are more than 5,000 other chemicals in cigarette smoke, many of which are known to cause cancer.

•  Nicotine is not the cause of other smoking-related diseases. 
  
  It is the myriad of toxins in cigarette smoke, rather than the nicotine content, that are the cause of diseases like chronic lung disease and heart disease.

•  Nicotine does not cause yellow stains on fingers and teeth. 
  
  The tar in cigarettes is what causes the unsightly yellow-brown stains on fingers and teeth, not the nicotine.

•  Nicotine is not a man-made substance. 
  
  Nicotine is a naturally occurring substance derived from the Nicotiana plant.

•  NRT does not substitute one addiction for another. 
  
  NRT provides lower, more controlled doses of nicotine in comparison to cigarettes. The dose is slowly decreased over time until you can gradually give up nicotine for good.

•  NRT is not a ‘cure’ for smoking. 
  
  NRT products, like NICORETTE^®, don’t cure smoking and they won’t magically transform you from a heavy smoker to a non-smoker overnight. However, they will make quitting smoking a whole lot easier.

NRT works by releasing therapeutic nicotine into your bloodstream at much lower levels than in a cigarette, without the tar, carbon monoxide, and other harmful tobacco-smoke chemicals. This helps relieve your difficult cravings. Of course, quitting will still require your willpower and effort.

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http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/smoking/Pages/Copingwithcravings.aspx}