Should I use 2 mg or 4 mg nicotine lozenges?

4 mg if you smoke within 30 minutes of waking; 2 mg if later, per the label.

How many nicotine lozenges can I use a day?

No more than 5 in 6 hours and no more than 20 per day.

Can I chew a nicotine lozenge?

No. Let it dissolve slowly; do not chew or swallow it.

How long should I use nicotine lozenges?

The label gives a 12-week schedule; talk to your provider if you need longer.

Can I eat while using a nicotine lozenge?

Do not eat or drink for 15 minutes before or while it is in your mouth.

Can teens use nicotine lozenges?

The label says ask a doctor before use if you are under 18, and that no studies have been done to show if it will work for you.

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Nicotine lozenge

By the Life in Good Form editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

We research products from makers' specs and health sources; we do not run hands-on tests. Links to Amazon may earn us a commission at no cost to you. How this works.

Quick answerNicotine lozenges such as Nicorette are an over-the-counter stop smoking aid that reduces withdrawal symptoms, including cravings. The label says use 4 mg if you smoke your first cigarette within 30 minutes of waking and 2 mg if later. Let the lozenge dissolve slowly without chewing or swallowing it. The 12-week schedule is 1 lozenge every 1 to 2 hours in weeks 1 to 6, every 2 to 4 hours in weeks 7 to 9, and every 4 to 8 hours in weeks 10 to 12. Do not use more than 5 lozenges in 6 hours or 20 a day.

Our picks at a glance

Nicorette lozenge, 2 mg. Best for: First cigarette more than 30 minutes after waking. See options on Amazon
Nicorette lozenge, 4 mg. Best for: First cigarette within 30 minutes of waking. See options on Amazon

Compare the picks and what to watch out for

2 mg or 4 mg?

Your first cigarette	Lozenge strength	Label limits
Within 30 minutes of waking up	4 mg	Not more than 5 in 6 hours or 20 per day
More than 30 minutes after waking up	2 mg	Not more than 5 in 6 hours or 20 per day
First 6 weeks	Either	Use at least 9 lozenges per day

Details are from the Nicorette lozenge DailyMed label, which lists nicotine polacrilex 2 mg or 4 mg per lozenge.

The 12-week schedule

Weeks 1 to 6: 1 lozenge every 1 to 2 hours.
Weeks 7 to 9: 1 lozenge every 2 to 4 hours.
Weeks 10 to 12: 1 lozenge every 4 to 8 hours.

Begin on your quit day. Do not use more than one lozenge at a time or use one after another, which may cause hiccups, heartburn or nausea. It is important to complete treatment; if you feel you need lozenges longer, talk to your health care provider.

How to use a nicotine lozenge

Place the lozenge in your mouth and let it slowly dissolve.
Minimize swallowing; do not chew or swallow the lozenge.
You may feel a warm or tingling sensation.
Occasionally move it from one side of your mouth to the other until it is completely dissolved.

Do not eat or drink for 15 minutes before using or while the lozenge is in your mouth. Read the enclosed User's Guide for complete directions.

A lozenge can take a while to dissolve fully, so plan to use it at a time when you can leave it in your mouth without eating or drinking. Keep a supply with you on your quit day and in the early weeks, when the label calls for at least 9 lozenges a day.

Who should ask first

Ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease, a recent heart attack or irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure not controlled with medication, a stomach ulcer or diabetes, or a history of seizures. The labels note nicotine can increase heart rate and blood pressure.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you use a non-nicotine stop smoking drug, or take a prescription medicine for depression or asthma, since your dose may need to be adjusted.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding: the labels say only use nicotine replacement on the advice of your health care provider, and try to quit without it first.
Under 18: ask a doctor before use.

Side effects and safety

Stop use and ask a doctor if mouth problems occur, or persistent indigestion or severe sore throat occurs. Stop use and ask a doctor if irregular heartbeat or palpitations occur, or you get symptoms of nicotine overdose such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weakness and rapid heartbeat, or signs of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing or rash. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

Keep lozenges out of reach of children and pets, since the label says they may have enough nicotine to make them sick. If you need to remove a lozenge, wrap it in paper and throw it away in the trash.

Lozenge vs gum vs patch

Lozenges suit people who want a craving-response option without chewing. Gum is similar but uses the chew and park method; see our nicotine gum guide. The patch gives steady nicotine all day; see our nicotine patch guide.

Free help improves the odds. The CDC lists 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free quitline coaching over the phone, and links to guides on all the main quit medicines: the nicotine patch, gum, lozenge, oral inhaler and nasal spray, plus varenicline and bupropion SR, which need a prescription. Ask a pharmacist or doctor which option, or combination, fits you.

What to look for when you buy

Nicorette lozenge, 2 mg

Best for: First cigarette more than 30 minutes after waking

The label directs 2 mg lozenges for people who smoke their first cigarette more than 30 minutes after waking.

Watch out: Not more than 20 lozenges per day.

See options on Amazon

Nicorette lozenge, 4 mg

Best for: First cigarette within 30 minutes of waking

The label directs 4 mg lozenges for people who smoke within 30 minutes of waking.

Watch out: Let it dissolve; do not chew or swallow it.