By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Long-Term use of Nicotine Replacement Products
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Long-Term use of Nicotine Replacement Products
Public Health

Long-Term use of Nicotine Replacement Products

GlennLaffel
GlennLaffel
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Nicotine replacement therapy makes it easier to quit smoking by providing a therapeutically safe fix of the chemical that makes cigarettes addictive in the first place. In the 25+ years since nicotine-laced patches, gum and lozenges became available, they have amassed a remarkable safety record. In fact thousands of people—and perhaps many more than that–have used NRT products for decades with few or no untoward effects (other than a notably thinned-out wallet).

As a result, the FDA may soon relax the warning label verbiage affixed to NRT products. Currently, the FDA recommends that such products should be used for no longer than 12-weeks. The recommendation under consideration is that NRTs can be used for prolonged periods—perhaps indefinitely.

“There really doesn’t appear to be any great harm” with the use of NRT over long periods of time, said K. Michael Cummings, chair of the department of health behavior at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in an interview. “You’re better off chewing gum or wearing a patch than smoking.”

Public health advocates like Cummings have petitioned the FDA for years to relax their recommendations. They received a boost from a 2009 law which empowered the FDA for the first time to regulate tobacco products. A provision in the law tasks the agency to consider relaxing the warning labels on NRT products.

More Read

Were the Beatles Wrong About “When I Am Sixty-Four”?
5 Aspects of CMS’s 2015 Proposed IPPS Regulations
Changing Behavior to Conquer Obesity
Drug Stores Better at Detecting Counterfeit Drugs than Government
Will Health Websites Be Safe for Patients?

Labels on NRT products advise users to taper-off on their consumption of the products over a 12-week period. These recommendations have stood since the FDA first approved nicotine gum in 1984. They were established to be consistent with the duration of NRT product utilization during clinical trials that were designed to test their efficacy, rather than scientific data regarding health risks associated with long-term NRT use.

There is no evidence that nicotine is carcinogenic in its own right, at least in humans. It may however increase cardiovascular risk because it causes mild tachycardia and mild elevations in blood pressure.

If the FDA does relax its warnings, it will have followed a precedent set by the British Royal College of Physicians, which concluded 4 years ago that “medicinal nicotine is a very safe drug,” and “there are no grounds to suspect appreciable long-term adverse effects on health.” Regulatory authorities in the UK, Japan, Germany and Canada have already approved NRT product use periods between 6 and 12 months.

Glaxo markets the industry-leading product, the Nicorette brand of gum, patches and lozenges. It collects a lion’s share of an $800 million US market for NRT products. Pfizer and Novartis also play in the space.

TAGGED:nicotine replacementpublic health
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

how to improve REM sleep
Unlock Better Sleep: How to Improve REM Sleep Naturally
Wellness
October 30, 2025
uv protection in winter
Winter Sun Safety: Why UV Protection Matters Year-Round
Health
October 29, 2025
Nurse Scheduling Software
Evaluating 7 Best Nurse Scheduling Software
Nursing Technology
October 28, 2025
contamination
Batch Failures And The Hidden Costs Of Contamination
Health Infographics
October 21, 2025

You Might also Like

Fresh Air Fund Needs Loving Host Families

July 7, 2011
medicaid
Health ReformNewsPolicy & LawPublic Health

Paul Krugman: Stop Being an Embarrassment to the Profession

March 7, 2013

Using Technology to Promote Health Literacy

November 7, 2012

Hospital Evolution: Collaboration in an Era of Change

August 19, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?