Medicines like nicotine replacement therapy can make it easier for you to stop smoking. The medicines work by easing your withdrawal symptoms.
Only stop smoking medicines that are proven to work are available in New Zealand.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
- Patches, gum and lozenges are available cheaply or free through your stop smoking service or community pharmacist.
- Inhalers and mouth spray can be bought at supermarkets or pharmacies (you’ll have to pay the normal price). You don’t need a prescription.
Learn more about nicotine patches, lozenges, gum and inhalers in the videos below.
Prescription medicines
You’ll need to see your GP to discuss if one of these medicines is right for you:
- nortriptyline
- bupropion (also known as Zyban)
- varenicline (also known as Champix).
You’ll have to pay your normal GP fee and the cost of the prescription.
Nicotine replacement therapy videos
Your journey
Combining products
Patches
Gum
Lozenges
Inhalers
Pregnancy
Dr Hayden McRobbie is a medical practitioner based in both New Zealand and London.
In New Zealand, Hayden is the clinical advisor for tobacco at the Ministry of Health. He is also an adjunct professor at Auckland University of Technology and an honorary senior research fellow at the University of Auckland.
In the UK, Hayden works as a senior clinician in the NHS Stop Smoking Services, in a deprived part of London, where he specialises in group based smoking cessation treatment. He is also involved in training healthcare professionals in smoking cessation.
Hayden also contributes to numerous expert bodies, committees, working groups and conferences.
