Nicotine gum gives you nicotine on demand. The nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your mouth as you chew the gum. You will probably be told that the chew-rest-chew routine is the best one to follow because any nicotine you swallow is wasted. Try to hold the gum in your cheeks between chewing.

Nicotine patches work by releasing a constant supply of nicotine into the bloodstream. There are 16 and 24 hour patches and your adviser will explain which is best for you. The 24 hour patch means you won’t get cravings and is useful if you are the sort of smoker who gets up in the night for a cigarette. The 16 hour patch is ideal for most regular smokers who sleep through the night.

Microtabs are tiny tablets containing nicotine which are dissolved under the tongue. These should not be sucked, chewed or swallowed as this will simply reduce the amount of nicotine you get. Lozenges work in a similar way but are like sweets which you suck slowly.