Nicorette is a form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy or NRT which as helped hundreds of thousands of smokers around the world beat the habit by helping calm the cravings that make the quitting process difficult. Nicorette gum is sugar-free and chewing the pieces provides the body with just the right amount of nicotine to reduce the cravings.

‘Smoking is extremely addictive, and it is the cigarette that is the vehicle that initiates and sustains the addiction. When a person quits the habit, he experiences several withdrawal symptoms during the abstinence which is only relieved by nicotine administration," explains Dr. Daniel Tan, president of Tobacco-Free Philippines.

"In the Philippines, the cold turkey was allegedly the only way to successfully quit from smoking. Currently, there is no available intervention that will help patients overcome the withdrawal symptoms that come with smoking cessation. We are glad that Nicorette is finally available in the country to help smokers," said Dr. Tan.

Dr. Leonora Fernandez, clinical associate professor at the Department of Medicine, UP College of Medicine, welcomed the availability of Nicorette gum in the country. "The availability of pharmacological treatment like the Nicorette gum will further boost the country’s smoking cessation programs. The use of the gum along with a stop smoking program will definitely increase success rates of those who want to quit smoking," said Dr. Fernandez, who is also the consultant coordinator of Philippine General Hospital’s Comprehensive Ambulatory Respiratory Rehabilitation (CARE) Program & Stop Smoking Program.

The Nicorette gum provides the body with the nicotine it craves without all the other harmful chemicals found in a cigarette us tar and carbon monoxide. It works by releasing nicotine into the saliva and is absorbed through the lining of the mouth after chewing the gum. This then eases the cravings that one feels.

The proper way to use Nicorette gum is through a technique called "chew and park". Chew a piece of gum slowly until the taste becomes strong, then park it between the cheek and gum. Chew the gum again when the taste has faded. Repeat this cycle for about half an hour. Then dispose the gum properly.

Smoking has been known as hazardous to one’s health and many clinical studies have shown the health benefits gained when one stops smoking. These health benefits include lowering the risk of getting a heart attack.

"Smoking is very common worldwide but even more so in the Philippines," according to Dr. Dante Morales, former president of the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) and Philippine College of Physicians (PCP). He explained that the National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHeS) done in 2003 and 2004 revealed a prevalence of 34.8 percent current smoking among Filipinos 20 years and above compared to the 32.7 percent in 1998. More importantly, it is the most common cause of death from heart and brain attack and blood vessel diseases in the country.

According to Pfizer, Nicorette has been around from more than 20 years and is available in many countries. "We are pleased to bring Nicorette to the Philippines to help Filipino smokers with their struggle to beat the habit. As we all know, smoking is prevalent in the Philippines. Those who have successfully quit smoking know that the process of quitting can be a huge challenge. Often though, smokers go back to the habit after failing to cope with withdrawal symptoms and nicotine cravings experienced while quitting. With this new product being available in the market, smokers can now take better control of their cigarette craving and eventually stop smoking," said Dr. Randy Cañal, area manager (ASEAN) – Regulatory Affairs/Medical Research & Development of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.

Nicorette gum has been clinically proven safe and effective to use. The World Health Organization advocates the use of NRT products, such as the Nicorette gum, as a valuable tool in the fight against cigarette smoking, and supports its use by smokers who wish to beat the habit.

Nicorette is a non-prescription drug which can be availed over the counter in Mercury Drugstore outlets. For more information, visit www.nicorette.com.ph.