Nicotine replacement therapy.

Physicians can help their patients quit smoking by recommending to all of their patients that they quit smoking with the help of nicotine replacement medications. Currently available forms of nicotine medications include gum, patch, nasal spray, and vapor inhaler. Nicotine replacement medications aid smokers in their cessation efforts by relieving the physiologic symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Because nicotine medications do not deliver the myriad toxins and carcinogens cigarettes deliver, these medications are safe when used as directed. This article discusses the rationale behind nicotine replacement therapy in the context of tobacco dependence, the available medications, and the public health benefits of these medications.