You’re 50-60% more likely to quit with NRT.
A review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews analyzed 136 smoking cessation studies involving more than 64,000 participants and found that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) increases quit rates by 50-60%, regardless of setting. The review also found that setting a quit date and stopping nicotine use abruptly while using NRT to manage withdrawal symptoms is one of the most effective ways to quit nicotine and stay nicotine-free long term.
So what is nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)?
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a clinically proven treatment that helps people quit vaping or smoking by delivering controlled doses of nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes or vapes. This steady dose helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, making quitting more manageable, especially during the early weeks when relapse risk is highest.
Behavioral support increases quit rates by another 40%.
Pairing behavioral support with NRT makes quitting even more effective. A double-blind, randomized clinical trial published by Truth Initiative found that text-based motivation and behavioral support increased quit rates among young adult vapers by nearly 40%. Additional evidence summarized in another Cochrane review found that behavioral support, including counseling, advice, and peer groups, increased quit success by an additional 20% for people using NRT.
That's why Jones pairs nicotine mints (NRT) with science-backed behavioral support in the free Jones app. You start by setting a quit date and taking our quiz, then we build a personalized quit plan tailored to your goals and habits. The Jones app is a community of 60,000+ Quitters supporting one another with daily motivation, accountability, and encouragement.
How does NRT work?
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) works by separating nicotine from vaping, cigarettes, and pouches, allowing you to use nicotine without consuming the most harmful elements of tobacco products. The biggest risk of vaping and smoking is not the nicotine itself, but the way in which that nicotine is delivered: the source, speed, strength, and chemicals involved.
Smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco all contain toxic chemicals that have been linked to lung disease, heart disease, and various types of cancer. These chemicals are found in the smoke or vapor, not the nicotine.
The speed of nicotine delivery to your brain is key to understanding the addictive quality of various delivery mechanisms. Vapes & cigarettes deliver nicotine to the brain in ~10 seconds.⁷ Zyns & Snus produce higher maximum blood nicotine concentration in shorter time than NRT products of comparable strength.⁸
There are currently no regulations on vape strength in the US, meaning some vapes contain as much as 60mg of nicotine per mL of liquid (in the UK this is capped at 20mg). A 5% strength Elfbar BC5000 contains 650 mg of nicotine.⁹ On average, 1.5mg of nicotine are consumed per cigarette.⁸ Higher nic concentration means makes a delivery mechanism more addictive.
Your brain on nicotine.
Nicotine
Receptor on your neurons (Nicotinic Acetylcholine)
- Nicotine binds to a receptor on the neurons in your “reward” and “fight or flight” pathways.
- This causes the release of three neurotransmitters, impacting your mood and mental state, while increasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
-
Dopamine makes you feel good
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Acetylcholine helps you focus
Norepinephrine makes you feel alert
Dopamine makes you feel good
Acetylcholine helps you focus
Norepinephrine makes you feel alert
The physiological science behind NRT.
Neuron
- Over time, repeated nicotine use causes the brain's nicotine receptors to become less responsive, so your brain creates more receptors to compensate.
- These extra receptors are part of what drives cravings when you stop using nicotine. They're expecting nicotine to activate them, and when it doesn't arrive, you experience withdrawal symptoms.
- The good news is that your brain gradually removes many of these extra receptors as nicotine use decreases. As this happens, cravings become less intense and withdrawal becomes easier to manage.
- NRT helps make this adjustment more comfortable by activating some of these receptors while allowing your brain to slowly adapt to lower nicotine levels. Instead of stopping all at once, your brain has time to recalibrate, making withdrawal feel much more manageable.
Week 1
Week 4
Week 8
Week 12
Gradual reduction of nicotine receptors with the help of NRT means your cravings are more manageable while you quit.
The Jones method.
Physiological
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Psychological
Behavioral support through the app, text program, community, & AI Coach Jones
Personal
Tailored to your goals and nicotine use, built by people who've been there
A proven, doctor-reviewed way to quit nicotine.
- Quitting nicotine is hard. That's not because you lack willpower. Nicotine dependence is driven by biology, psychology, and habit, all working together. The Jones Method addresses all three by combining evidence-based nicotine replacement therapy, behavioral support, and community into one structured quit plan.
- The Jones Method was developed alongside Dr. David Kan, MD, a board-certified physician specializing in Addiction Medicine and Psychiatry, faculty member at UCSF, and Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
How to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
Using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) effectively starts with understanding its role. NRT is designed to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms while giving your brain time to adjust to lower nicotine levels. By delivering controlled doses of nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, vapes, and pouches, it creates the mental and physical space needed to build healthier habits without constantly battling cravings.
Many people begin NRT on or just before their quit date to help stabilize nicotine levels and reduce withdrawal symptoms from day one. In the free Jones app, we'll guide you through the process with a personalized quit plan tailored to your goals. Over time, NRT is gradually tapered as your body adjusts to lower nicotine levels, making quitting more sustainable than trying to quit cold turkey.
NRT works best when it's paired with behavioral support, like coaching, accountability, education, and community. While NRT addresses the physical side of nicotine dependence, behavioral support helps you unlearn habits, manage triggers, and navigate cravings as they come up.
There's no one right way to quit. Progress isn't always linear, and that's okay. A structured approach that combines NRT, education, and behavioral support can make quitting feel more manageable and help you build lasting change.
More sources we love and trust.
- Harvard Health Blog; “Vaping: It's hard to quit, but help is available” by Sharon Levy, MD, MPH
- smokefree.gov; “Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy”
- smokefree.gov; “Busting NRT Myths”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); “Three Reasons to Use Medicines When You Quit”
- Huberman Lab; “Nicotine’s Effects on the Brain & Body & How to Quit Smoking or Vaping”
- Truth Initiative Research and Resources
Frequently asked questions.
Jones helps you quit by using a combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), behavioral support (inspired by cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT), and community. We built our program in conjunction with our medical advisor, Dr. David Kan, at UCSF, who is an expert in addiction medicine.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is considered the first-line treatment in the medical community for most people who want to quit vaping, and it is available over the counter for adults or by prescription for children under age 18.
NRT is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is clinically shown to help people quit smoking - it can even double your chance of quitting successfully. Plus, more and more studies are coming out with clinical support for NRT’s benefits in quitting vaping. NRT is not yet approved by the FDA as a vaping cessation product, however, our medical advisor Dr. Kan and other addiction specialists highly recommend NRT to help with nicotine withdrawal when quitting vaping.
NRT provides nicotine gradually, so it helps reduce withdrawal symptoms and manage cravings without exposing you to toxic chemicals or giving the “head rush” that keeps you coming back to other nicotine delivery methods like smoking, vaping, or oral nicotine pouches.
It helps you quit by providing your brain with smaller doses of nicotine over time. This reduces withdrawal symptoms like irritability, grogginess, constipation, and cravings without spiking your blood nicotine (which is what continues your dependency).
You can think of NRT as a tool that provides you space to focus on building new habits and removing your behavioral dependency without simultaneously coping with severe withdrawal symptoms the way you would when quitting “cold turkey”. Once you’ve reset your habits and routine, you can gradually reduce your NRT intake. Most people feel they no longer need NRT and stop using it after a few months. Some choose to use NRT for longer, but this is still safer than continuing to use more harmful nicotine delivery methods.
YES, this is safe and effective - in fact, the risks and side effects of consuming NRT are very similar to those of caffeine. NRT does not contain the dangerous chemicals that are present in vapes or tobacco.
Doctors and other medical experts (including the CDC & smokefree.gov) recommend NRT as one of the most helpful tools you can use to quit. It’s been FDA-approved and heavily studied for over 30 years (the first NRT was used in 1967!), and the research shows that NRT is safe and effective for almost all adults looking to quit. NRT has been approved for over-the-counter use since 1996.
Most adults (anyone 18+) can take NRT without consulting a doctor. There are very few people who shouldn’t use NRT. Pregnant women, teens, and people with serious health issues (like heart or lung disease) still might be able to use NRT, but should talk to their doctor first. Some people are allergic to the compounds in NRT that don’t include nicotine but those people are very, very rare. If you have known sensitivities, we advise you to read the ingredients before taking NRT. People allergic to Soya products should not use nicotine lozenges.
It’s very rare to get serious side effects from using NRT. Mild side effects can occur, which usually don’t last long. For Jones nicotine lozenges, possible side effects include a tingling sensation, coughing, gas, heartburn, trouble sleeping, nausea, hiccups, racing heartbeat. Frequently, side effects are caused by incorrect use of NRT—for example, it’s important to allow the lozenges/mints dissolve in your mouth as opposed to chewing or swallowing them. This allows for gradual nicotine delivery which not only makes sure it works to relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms, but also reduces the amount of nicotine you swallow, which can upset your stomach.
Generally, you can use NRT as long as needed. There are different programs available depending on your dependency and personalized needs but most recommend 10-12 weeks to taper NRT.
A 12-week treatment regimen includes:
- Use 1 lozenge every 1-2 hours for first 6 weeks.
- Use 1 lozenge every 2-4 hours for 3 additional weeks.
- Use 1 lozenge every 4-8 hours for 3 additional weeks.
This journey is 10-12 weeks for most people. For some people it might take longer. People for whom this will take longer might have more severe addictions. The presence of another mental health condition (depression and anxiety) also dictates a longer course of treatment.
The key is not to rush or pressure yourself, your pace is the right pace.
Absolutely. NRT was first designed to help smokers quit, and it's FDA-approved for this purpose. Your Jones NRT comes with specific guidance on using NRT to quit smoking.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please consult with your healthcare provider to discuss your options for quitting.
We recognize that the world of vaping is clouded with misinformation, lack of resources, and mismatched recommendations. To us, impact means truth; we use our expertise for social good, keeping education and shared knowledge as primary touch points for the Jones experience.
We’re committing 1% of our profits to charitable organizations who are committed to countering the negative impacts of vaping and smoking on our health and planet.
