The smoker should first decide on a quit date that is suitable. On that quit date, the smoker should stop smoking completely and start using the patch to relieve cravings.

The exact regimen of the nicotine patch depends on the whether the person is a heavy smoker (smokes 10 or more cigarettes a day) or light smoker (smokes less than 10 cigarettes a day), and also the brand of patch used.

However, all patches are typically used in a step-wise fashion over 10-12 weeks.

The recommended regimens for heavy and light smokers when using Nicorette® is shown as an example above. Niquitin® has a slightly different regimen which takes place over 10 weeks.