The most well known forms of nicotine replacement therapy are nicotine gum and patches. These are largely available from most pharmacies and even supermarkets. However, they are not without their side effects – for some, the taste of the nicotine while chewing the gum is unpleasant, and for people with sensitive skin wearing a patch can be uncomfortable after a few hours.

The other disadvantages to these methods are that they do nothing to counteract a different type of craving regularly associated with those quitting smoking; the need to do something with your hands.

Thankfully, there is an alternative available: the inhalator. The nicotine replacement inhalator is shaped like a normal cigarette, but is made from plastic. It consists of a mouthpiece and a cartridge of nicotine.

To use, the mouthpiece is inserted into the mouth. As this action is reminiscent of smoking a cigarette, it deals with the hands-off problem that many people trying to quit smoking struggle with. The user than draws breath in through the inhalator, causing nicotine from the cartridge to be released. This travels into the mouth as a vapor, where it can then be deeply inhaled or just allowed to settle. It causes a tingling sensation in the mouth, but few describes this as unpleasant.

Each cartridge for the inhalator contains enough nicotine for around 400 puffs. It is estimated that it takes around 80 puffs on the inhalator to release the same amount of nicotine contained in one cigarette. Doctors recommend beginning with around six to 12 cartridges a day, depending on how many cigarettes you usually smoke per day.

The inhalator is the perfect form of nicotine replacement therapy for those who miss the physical aspects of smoking the most. Like a cigarette, the inhalator needs to be raised to and from the mouth, helping people who report problems of not knowing what to do with their hands when not smoking. It is also one of only two forms of nicotine replacement therapy that produces a cigarette-like “hit” of nicotine. For some, the inhalator is the most effective method of nicotine replacement therapy, and reports a success rate of over 50%, like most forms of replacement therapy.

Nicotine gum contains a nicotine compared called nicotine polacrilex, which is said to have a potent effect on any cravings. Nicotine gum, however, should not be chewed like normal chewing gum – there is a specifically designed way of using it, which should increase it’s effectiveness. Each piece of nicotine gum should last for half an hour. To achieve this, chew the gum thoroughly until the taste of the nicotine compound is strong in your mouth. When it is, put the gum against your cheek and desist chewing it. When the strong taste has dissapated, start chewing again to release another wave of flavour. Repeat this until there is no taste left in the gum.

The manufacturers of nicotine gum suggest that it should only be used when a craving strikes, though many smokers in the process of quitting prefer to use it as a preventative. The choice on this is yours, but it is suggested that by limiting the use of nicotine gum to just when particularly severe cravings strike, it has a better change of succeeding.

The strength of gum you select depends on how many cigarettes you usually smoke in a day. For anything under 10 cigarettes per day, gum containing 2mg of nicotine polacrilex should be sufficient. For up to 20 cigarettes a day, use 4mg gum, while reserving 6mg for anyone who usually smokes over 20 cigarettes a day.

Nicotine gum cannot fully remove cravings. The best it can do is reduce the intense discomfort associated with smoking cessation, the theory being that by easing the worst of any craving, willpower should do the rest. It is important to have realistic expectations of nicotine gum; it never can fully replace the desire to smoke, but should be viewed more as a willpower aid than a full cigarette replacement. However, nicotine gum when used correctly can be incredibly effective and significantly improves your chances of stopping smoking for good. For this reason alone, it is worth a try.

Nicotine patches are quite large and resemble a large Band Aid or plaster. They tend to be skin coloured, for maximum discretion. They are applied to the skin, where a mild glue holds them in place until they are forcibly removed. While the patches are in contact with the skin, a small amount of nicotine is released and this is absorbed into the bearer’s system.

Like all types of nicotine replacement therapy, nicotine patches come in various strengths. The most common use of patches is to use them on a sliding scale, beginning with patches containing 15mg of nicotine. After six week, if the bearer has successful managed to avoid smoking, this is decreased down to 10mg. Another two weeks on, it is then suggested a further drop down to the lowest rate – 5mg – for a further two weeks. After this period, most can remove the patches all together and begin a life completely devoid of nicotine.

Nicotine patches have one of the best success rates of all the various nicotine replacement therapies. This is largely due to the fact that they create a constant flow of nicotine into the bearer’s system, hugely reducing the risks of an all-consuming craving which can often cause people to give up and smoke a cigarette.

As with anything, there are some drawbacks to nicotine patches. The most common side effect is skin discoloration or discomfort where the patch meets the skin. For this reason, it is recommended that with each new patch you apply, put it in a different area of the body to reduce the chances of suffering. The most common areas for application are the hips, thighs, back and upper arms, and it is worth remembering that patches will be less effective if applied on a joint. Instead, opt for a flat area of skin which is disturbed as little as possible by movement.

However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives of nicotine patches. They are hugely useful if you find the taste or smell of nicotine unpleasant, something which is unavoidable with gum or nasal sprays. Although patches can’t do the entire job of quitting for you, it is estimated that those who do wear patches are 50% more likely to quit smoking for good.

Yet now there is a way of helping heavy smokers through these cravings, using a form of nicotine replacement therapy called the nasal spray. This is easily the most effective form of nicotine replacement therapy, but it is not without it’s risks.

The reasons for the efficacy of the nasal spray are varied, though it is largely attributable to the speed it works at. The nicotine contained in each burst of the spray tends to hit the bloodstream fully within 10 minutes, making it one of the fastest methods of achieving a nicotine burst.

The spray works as a standard pump spray, with a nozzle designed to fit comfortably into the nostrils. When a craving arises, one burst of spray is delivered into each nostril. Each spray contains around 0.5mg of nicotine, meaning a total release of 1mg each time. This roughly equates to the same amount released by smoking one cigarette. As the spray is inhaled, the nicotine is absorbed into the lining of the nostrils and enters the bloodstream extremely quickly. When the nicotine reaches the brain, a “hit” of nicotine akin to that given by a cigarette is experienced. The nasal spray is only one of two methods – the other being the inhalator – to achieve this.

Unfortunately, the nasal spray may well be the most effective method of nicotine replacement, but it also the one fraught with the most risks. Many smokers simply transfer their addiction to the spray rather than cigarettes, and while the spray is far less dangerous than actual smoking, the point of nicotine replacement therapy is to gradually wean a person off nicotine entirely.

There are also side effects associated with the nasal spray, on top of the usual effects associated with nicotine replacement therapy. These include headaches, nasal and sinus irritation and even nosebleeds. However, for heavy smokers who have found that no other form of nicotine replacement therapy is sufficient, the nasal spray is the best chances of completely smoking cessation. The percentage of people who attempt to quit smoking with help from a nasal spray has a success rate of 55%, some 5% higher than other forms of replacement therapy.

Thankfully, there are other options and they are just as effective as their better known colleagues. The first option is microtabs. These work like a small tablet, and contain around 2mg of nicotine in each piece. When you feel like you need a cigarette, place a microtab under the tongue and allow it to dissolve, which will take around half an hour. This is important, as if you suck or chew a microtab you may reduce it’s effectiveness. The microtab then releases around half of its dosage into the body, which should reduce cravings. Most smokers need around 14 microtabs a day at the beginning of quitting.

There are various disadvantages to microtabs, including the unpleasant taste of nicotine. They are also one of the more costly forms of nicotine replacement therapy.

Fortunately, there is another alternative to gum and patches. Nicotine that is released into the lining of the mouth is the quickest way of reducing a craving, so developers have continued to try and find a suitable oral form of nicotine replacement therapy.

The last option is the nicotine lozenge. These work like a standard lozenge for sore throats, in that they release chemicals throughout their life span. Nicotine lozenges are hugely effective as a form of replacement therapy, with one recent test showing that those who used them when quitting smoking were 46% more likely to stop smoking for good.

The real benefit of nicotine lozenges is that they are devoid of the unsavoury taste of nicotine. Unlike gum and microtabs, the lozenges are quite pleasant in taste while still doing the vital job of helping stop cravings. They are also more discreet than chewing gum and therefore more socially acceptable.

Whichever method of oral nicotine replacement therapy you choose, you will have almost doubled your chances of quitting smoking.