Nicorette Inhalator is available in the following packs -

Nicorette Inhalator Starter Pack containing -

• 6 nicotine cartridges
• 1white plastic mouthpiece

Nicorette Inhalator Refill Pack containing -

• 1mouthpiece and 42 cartridges

Nicorette Inhalator is a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). It is used to relieve withdrawal symptoms and reduce the cravings for nicotine that you get when you try to stop smoking, or when you are cutting down the number of cigarettes you smoke while trying to stop smoking.

When you stop smoking or cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke, your body misses the nicotine that you have been absorbing. You may experience unpleasant feelings and a strong desire to smoke (craving). This shows that you were dependent on nicotine.

When you use Nicorette Inhalator, air is drawn through the inhalator and nicotine is released. The nicotine is absorbed into your body through the lining of your mouth. This relieves the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. It will also help to stop your craving to smoke but will not give you the "buzz" you get from smoking a cigarette.

The benefits of stopping smoking far outweigh any potential risk from using nicotine from NRT. It is the toxins in cigarette smoke such as tar, lead, cyanide and ammonia that cause smoking related disease and death, not the nicotine.

Setting Up Nicorette Inhalator

1. Take the sealed plastic tray from the box. Peel back the foil.
2. Take the white plastic mouthpiece from the tray.
3. Twist the two sections of the mouthpiece until the two marks line up. Then pull the mouthpiece apart.
4. Take a cartridge from the tray. Push the cartridge firmly into the bottom of the mouthpiece until the seal breaks.
5. Put the top section on the mouthpiece, lining up the two marks. Push together firmly to break the cartridge seal.
6. Twist to lock.

How To Use Nicorette Inhalator

1. Inhale using the inhalator, either deeply or shallow puffs. Choose the way that suits you. Either way, your body will receive the amount of nicotine required to give craving relief. You may find it takes more effort than inhaling from a cigarette, but the amount of nicotine you absorb through the lining of your mouth is the same whether you take deep or shallow puffs.
2. It is up to you how many inhalations (puffs) you take, how often you take them and for how long. One cartridge is roughly equivalent to 2-3 normal strength cigarettes. The highest amount of nicotine in your blood can be reached after about 20 minutes of continuous inhalation from the Nicorette Inhalator.
3. Each cartridge will provide you with about 20 minutes worth of puffs. You can divide this time how you like. For is example, you could use a cartridge for two 10 minute inhalation periods. Or you could use a cartridge for 10 minutes on waking and then for two periods of five minutes later on in the day. Once the cartridge is used up, you will need to change it. Most people use between 6 and 12 cartridges a day.

Changing a cartridge

1. Open the mouthpiece as in step 3 of Setting up the inhalator. Pull out the cartridge and dispose of it safely.
2. Put a new cartridge into the inhalator as in steps 4-6 of Setting up the Inhalator.

Dosage and temperature

• Nicorette Inhalator works best at room temperature and it is best not to use the inhalator in the cold
• In cold surroundings (below 15°C or 59°F) you may have to inhale more often to get the same amount of nicotine as when using the inhalator at room temperature
• When you are in surroundings above 30°C or 86°F, you should inhale less often to avoid taking in too much nicotine

When to use the Nicorette Inhalator

Children Under 12 Years
Do not give this product to children under 12 years.

Children Aged 12 to 18 years

• Between 6 - 12 cartridges per day as required to relieve cravings
• Do not use more than 12 cartridges per day
• Do not use for longer than 12 weeks in total without asking for help and advice from a doctor, nurse or pharmacist

Adults Aged 18 Years And Over

• Between 6 - 12 cartridges per day as required to relieve cravings
• Do not use more than 12 cartridges per day
• Do not use for longer than 9 months in total without asking for help and advice from a doctor, nurse or pharmacist

How to stop smoking: your choice

Because smoking is an addiction you may find it difficult to give up. From time to time you may still have strong urges to smoke but if you follow these recommendations, you have a good chance of quitting.

Some people may find it easier to set a date to quit and stop smoking immediately.

Others who are unable or not ready to stop smoking abruptly, may benefit from gradually reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke each day until they feel able to stop completely.

If you are an adult you can follow either one of these options. However children should follow the guide to stopping immediately as the recommended duration of nicotine replacement therapy in children is 12 weeks maximum. The only time children should gradually stop is if they are having a problem stopping immediately and they should talk to their doctor, nurse or pharmacist before trying the Stopping Gradually method.

If you find it hard to stop using Nicorette Inhalator, you are worried that you will start smoking again without it, or you find it difficult to reduce the number of Nicorette Inhalator cartridges you are using, talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Remember, Nicorette Inhalator is not intended as a substitute for smoking, it is an aid to giving up.

Use one of the two options which follow.

Stopping Immediately

The idea is to stop smoking immediately and use the inhalator to relieve the cravings to smoke. After achieving this you then stop using the inhalator. The timescale is up to 12 weeks (3 months) in total.

Adults and children aged 12 years and over

See the following process which shows the basic step by step process. The timing given for Step 2 is the longest amount of time it should take, and you should try to achieve your move to the next step in the shortest time possible. Make sure that you read the instructions for each step in the information which follows.

• Step 1: Set a date to quit and stop smoking cigarettes
• Step 2: Use the inhalator for up to 8 weeks (2 months) to relieve your cravings to smoke
• Step 3: Start reducing the number of cartridges you use. Do this over 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, aim to have halved the number of cartridges you use in a day
• Step 4. Cut the number to none at all over the following 2 weeks.

If you need to use the inhalator for longer than a total of 9 months, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Adults aged 18 years and over

See the following process which shows the basic step by step process. The timings given for Steps 2-3 are the longest it should take, and you should try to achieve your move to the next step in the shortest time possible.

Make sure that you read the instructions for each step in the information which follows.

• Step 1:   Work out how many cigarettes you smoke per day. Set a date to start reducing the number you smoke
• Step 2:   Start reducing. Over the next few months, reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke by using the inhalator when you feel the urge to smoke, until you feel ready to stop smoking completely. If after 6 weeks you have not reduced the number of cigarettes you smoke, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice. You should aim to stop smoking completely by six months from the beginning of the treatment
• Step 3:   Stop smoking. Cut out all cigarettes and use the inhalator for up to 8 weeks to relieve your cravings to smoke
• Step 4:  Start reducing the number of cartridges you use. Do this over 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, aim to have halved the number of cartridges you use in a day
• Step 5:   Cut the number to none at all over the following 2 weeks

If you have not made an attempt to stop smoking after 9 months ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Stopping Gradually

The idea is to start by gradually replacing some of your cigarettes with the inhalator. After achieving this you then give up cigarettes completely while using the inhalator. Finally, you give up using the inhalator.

Adults aged 18 years and over

See the following plan which shows the basic step by step process. The timings given for Steps 2-3 are the longest it should take, and you should try to achieve your move to the next step in the shortest time possible.

• Step 1:   Work out how many cigarettes you smoke per day. Set a date to start reducing the number you smoke
• Step 2:   Start reducing. Over the next few months, reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke by using the inhalator when you feel the urge to smoke, until you feel ready to stop smoking completely. If after 6 weeks you have not reduced the number of cigarettes you smoke, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice. You should aim to stop smoking completely by six months from the beginning of the treatment
• Step 3:   Stop smoking. Cut out all cigarettes and use the inhalator for up to 8 weeks to relieve your cravings to smoke
• Step 4:   Start reducing the number of cartridges you use. Do this over 2 weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, aim to have halved the number of cartridges you use in a day
• Step 5:   Cut the number to none at all over the following 2 weeks

If you have not made an attempt to stop smoking after 9 months ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Children aged 12 years and over

Children should follow the guide to stopping immediately. The recommended duration of nicotine replacement therapy in children is 12 weeks maximum. The only time children should stop gradually is if they are having a problem stopping immediately.

Children should talk to their doctor, nurse or pharmacist before attempting to stop gradually.

Nicorette Inhalator consists of:

• 1 white plastic mouthpiece into which you insert a tube-like cartridge containing 10 mg of nicotine, the active ingredient, held in a porous plug. The plug also contains menthol to give the nicotine a slight minty flavour

The Nicorette Inhalator Starter Pack contains:

• 1 plastic tray sealed with foil containing 6 cartridges
• 1 white plastic mouthpiece

The Nicorette Inhalator Refill Pack contains:

•   1mouthpiece and 42 cartridges

Do not use Nicorette Inhalator:

• if you have an allergy to nicotine or any of the other ingredients

Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist...

• if you are pregnant or breast-feeding - you may be able to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to help you give up but you should try to give up without it. See page 8 If you are pregnant or breast-feeding
• if you are in hospital because of heart disease (including heart attack, disorders of heart rate or rhythm, or stroke); in other heart conditions not requiring you to be in hospital, using NRT is better than continuing to smoke
• if you have a stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, inflammation of the stomach or inflammation of the oesophagus (passage between the mouth and stomach)
• if you have liver or kidney disease; if you have long term throat disease or difficulty breathing due to bronchitis, emphysema or asthma, Nicorette Inhalator may not be suitable for you to use and you may be advised to use a different type of NRT
• if you have an overactive thyroid gland or have a phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland that can affect blood pressure) - your doctor will have told you this
• if you have diabetes - monitor your blood sugar levels more often when starting to use Nicorette Inhalator as you may find your insulin or medication requirements alter
• if you are taking other medicines such as theophylline, clozapine or ropinirole, stopping smoking or cutting down may require the dose of these medicines to be adjusted

This product contains small cartridges which could be a choking hazard if a child attempts to swallow one. Keep any unused cartridges in the pack out of the reach and sight of children.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding

If you are pregnant: ideally, you should try to give up smoking without NRT. If you can't manage this, you can use NRT as the risks to your baby are far less than smoking, however you should talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice.

Products that are used intermittently, including Nicorette Inhalator may be preferable to nicotine patches. However, patches may be more suitable if you have nausea or sickness. If you do use patches take them off before going to bed at night.

If you are breast-feeding: ideally, you should try to give up smoking without NRT. If you can't manage this you are best to use NRT products that are taken intermittently (not patches), however you should talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for advice. Breast-feed just before you use Nicorette Inhalator to make sure that the baby gets the smallest amount of nicotine possible.

If you do need to use NRT to help you quit, the amount of nicotine that the baby may receive is considerably smaller and less harmful than the second-hand smoke they would inhale if you smoked. Tobacco smoke produces breathing and other problems in babies and children.

Possible side-effects

Like all medicines, Nicorette Inhalator can have side effects. As many of the effects are due to nicotine, they can also ccur when nicotine is obtained by smoking.

Effects related to stopping smoking (nicotine withdrawal)

You may experience unwanted effects because by stopping smoking you have reduced the amount of nicotine you are taking. You may also experience these effects if you use too few Nicorette Inhalator cartridges before you are ready to reduce your nicotine intake.
These effects include:

• irritability or aggression
• feeling low
• anxiety
• restlessnes
• poor concentration
• increased appetite or weight gain
• urges to smoke (craving)
• night time awakening or sleep disturbance
• lowering of heart rate

Effects of too much nicotine

It is possible to inhale too much nicotine if you use the inhalator in very warm surroundings. You may also get these effects if you are not used to inhaling tobacco smoke.These effects include:

• feeling faint
• feeling sick (nausea)
• headache

Side-effects of Nicorette Inhalator

Very common side-effects: (more than 1 in every 10 people are affected)

• headache
• cough
• irritation of the mouth or throat

Common side-effects: (less than 1 in every 10 people are affected)

• dizziness
• nasal congestion
• stomach discomfort
• hiccups
• feeling sick (nausea)
• sickness (vomiting)

Uncommon side-effects: (less than 1 in every 100 people are affected)

• chest palpitations

Very rare side-effects: (less than 1 in 10,000 people are affected)

• abnormal beating of the heart

If you notice these or any other unwanted effects not listed in this leaflet tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

When you stop smoking you may also develop mouth ulcers. The reason why this happens is unknown.

If you have used Nicorette Inhalator too much

If you have used more than the recommended number of cartridges you may experience nausea (feeling sick), salivation, pain in your abdomen, diarrhoea, sweating, headache. dizziness. hearing disturbance or weakness.

If you do get any of these effects contact a doctor or your nearest Hospital Accident and Emergency department immediately. Take this leaflet and the pack with you.

lf a child uses an inhalator or swallows a cartridge contact a doctor or your nearest Hospital Accident and Emergency department immediately if a child under 12 years uses your inhalator, or chews, sucks or swallows a cartridge. Take the leaflet and the pack with you. Nicotine inhalation or ingestion by a child may result in severe poisoning.