Expert: Christine Rowley - 6/18/2001

Question
Hello Christine:

I am quitting smoking today (06/18/2001) and I am wondering about the amount of nicotine in cigarettes.  I am male, age 31, been smoking for 18 years and I smoke about 2.5 packs of Marlboro Lights per day.  I am starting the Nicoderm Patch,a nd it allows 21mg of nicotine to seep into your system through a 24 hour period.  How does this compare to what you get from cigarettes themselves?  I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Regards,

Mike

Answer
Hi Mike,

Cigarette smoking is the most prevalent form of nicotine addiction in the United States. Most cigarettes in the U.S. market today contain 10 milligrams (mg) or more of nicotine. Through inhaling smoke, the average smoker takes in 1 to 2 mg nicotine per cigarette.

While you are taking in some nicotine through the patch, remember that you are NOT getting the carbon monoxide, nor the toxins or tar that you get from smoking. This is a big plus for you. The other thing to remember is that you will not be using the patch for long. After that, your savings from not smoking go up tremendously. Start a savings jar of money saved by not smoking. It mounts up fast!

You should do fine on your 21 mg. patches. Be sure to follow the instructions that come with it. If you have to use it longer than noted, don't worry about that. It is better to use a quitting aid longer than not long enough.

Meanwhile, in order to learn how to cope without cigarettes, may I suggest you get with a good support group. It can make all the difference in your success. Check out the Ash Kickers at:

http://forums.about.com/ab-quitsmoking/start/
Support Forum for help, answers, tips and friendship for Ash Kickers

Hope this helps, Mike!

Christine
About Smoking Cessation Guide
http://quitsmoking.about.com