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Nicotine Patch Schedule

A nicotine patch pack steps down on a fixed rule. US packs run 21, 14 and 7 mg over 10 weeks; the UK 16-hour Nicorette Invisi runs 25, 15 and 10 mg over 12. Tell this page what you use and how much, and it lays your pack's own steps on real dates, with the rule quoted for every line.

What you use now

Both packs draw their line at 10 a day, on different sides: the US label starts Step 1 above 10, the UK leaflet from 10.

The pack you are buying

The US label says to begin on your quit day; both packs start here.

Starting step

Change this only if a pharmacist or doctor gives you a different step.

Your schedule

21mg

Step 1 from Friday 6 November 2026

10 weeks · 70 patches · last patch 14 Jan

Starts in 14 days

Why this step

At 20 a day, more than 10, the US label starts you on Step 1 (21 mg) for weeks 1 to 6, then 14 mg for weeks 7 and 8 and 7 mg for weeks 9 and 10.

US NicoDerm CQ label · Where every step comes from
Print the calendar Add to calendar (.ics)
Step by step
Step Strength Dates Patches
Step 1 21 mg 6 Nov – 17 Dec 42
Step 2 14 mg 18 Dec – 31 Dec 14
Step 3 7 mg 1 Jan – 14 Jan 14

One new patch every 24 hours. The label says to take it off at bedtime if you have vivid dreams or other sleep disturbances.

These are the pack's directions laid on dates, not medical advice. The leaflet in your box wins.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you

  • have heart disease, a recent heart attack or an irregular heartbeat
  • have high blood pressure not controlled with medication
  • have an allergy to adhesive tape or skin problems
  • have stomach ulcers or diabetes
  • have a history of seizures
  • use a non-nicotine stop smoking drug, or take a prescription medicine for depression or asthma
  • are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • are under 18

From the US NicoDerm CQ Drug Facts label. The UK leaflet carries its own list; read the one in your box.

Where every step comes from

Nothing here is worked out by us except the dates. The strengths and the weeks are copied from two packs' own directions. US: the NicoDerm CQ Drug Facts label. More than 10 cigarettes a day runs 21 mg for weeks 1 to 6, 14 mg for weeks 7 and 8 and 7 mg for weeks 9 and 10; 10 or fewer runs 14 mg for 6 weeks, then 7 mg for 2 weeks; one new patch every 24 hours. UK: the Nicorette Invisi summary of product characteristics. 25 mg for 8 weeks, 15 mg for 2 weeks and 10 mg for 2 weeks; fewer than 10 cigarettes a day, or light to moderate vaping, runs 15 mg for 8 weeks, then 10 mg for 4 weeks; worn for about 16 waking hours.

For vapers on a US pack the starting strength comes from Health PEI's vaping cessation table: about 0 to 20 mg of nicotine a day starts on 14 mg, 20 to 40 mg on 21 mg, 40 mg or more on 35 mg, and anyone unsure on 21 mg. The weeks after that start are the pack's own. 35 mg is more than any one patch in the pack, so for that band the page shows the pack from Step 1 and asks you to see a pharmacist first. For vapers on a UK pack the leaflet's own words decide: heavy vapers start on 25 mg, light to moderate vapers on 15 mg, and anyone unsure on 25 mg, the step it recommends for most smokers and vapers.

For nicotine pouches no pack and no guide used here sets a dose, so the page sets none until you choose a step.

The dates: the course starts on your quit day, as the US label says to begin. Each step lasts its weeks × 7 days at one patch a day, so a step's patch count is its day count.

What this does not do: it knows nothing about your health, your medicines or your brand. Other patches print other steps, and the leaflet in your box wins.

Where this comes from

  1. 1. NicoDerm CQ (nicotine) patch, extended release — Drug Facts: the 10-week schedule, "one new patch every 24 hours", and who should ask a doctor first Haleon US Holdings LLC label, DailyMed (US National Library of Medicine), effective 14 July 2025
  2. 2. Nicorette Invisi patch — Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.2: the 25, 15 and 10 mg steps for smokers and vapers electronic medicines compendium (emc), UK
  3. 3. PEI Smoking Cessation Program: Vaping Cessation Guidance Document — patient assessment tool, starting patch by nicotine a day Health PEI, Government of Prince Edward Island, updated 17 November 2025
  4. 4. Build your quit plan — "Pick a day in the next two weeks", the default quit day Smokefree.gov, US National Cancer Institute

Nothing on this page is medically reviewed and nothing above measures anything about you — it explains a calculation. Where a number here is our own judgement rather than a published figure, the note says so and cites nothing; where the health bodies disagree, it carries the disagreement. Method last checked 23 October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the steps of a nicotine patch?
The pack sets them. A US NicoDerm CQ pack for someone who smokes more than 10 cigarettes a day runs Step 1 at 21 mg for weeks 1 to 6, Step 2 at 14 mg for weeks 7 and 8, and Step 3 at 7 mg for weeks 9 and 10. The UK Nicorette Invisi 16-hour patch runs 25 mg for 8 weeks, 15 mg for 2 weeks and 10 mg for 2 weeks. Lighter users skip Step 1 on both packs. The schedule above lays your own path on dates.

What strength nicotine patch should I start with?
On a US NicoDerm CQ pack, more than 10 cigarettes a day starts on Step 1 (21 mg); 10 or fewer starts on Step 2 (14 mg) for 6 weeks, then 7 mg for 2 weeks. On the UK Nicorette Invisi pack, 10 or more a day starts on 25 mg; fewer than 10 starts on 15 mg for 8 weeks, then 10 mg for 4 weeks. Other brands print their own steps, and the leaflet in your box wins.

What nicotine patch strength should I use to quit vaping?
The UK Nicorette Invisi leaflet is the one pack here that names vapers: heavy vapers (its examples are "vape frequently or use high strength e-liquid") start on 25 mg, and light to moderate vapers on 15 mg. US packs are written for cigarettes. Health PEI, the health service of Prince Edward Island in Canada, publishes a table for vapers: about 0 to 20 mg of nicotine a day starts on a 14 mg patch, 20 to 40 mg on 21 mg, and 40 mg or more on 35 mg, which is more than any single patch and is set with a trained provider. If you are unsure, it says to choose 21 mg.

Can I use nicotine patches to quit Zyn or other nicotine pouches?
Many people do, but no patch pack we could find gives a starting dose for nicotine pouches, and neither does any guide this page uses. So this page does not pick a step for pouches. Ask a pharmacist which step to start on; once you have one, choose it here and the page lays the pack's own weeks on your dates.

How long do you wear a nicotine patch each day?
It depends on the patch. The US NicoDerm CQ label says to apply one new patch every 24 hours, and to take it off at bedtime if you have vivid dreams or other sleep disturbances. The UK Nicorette Invisi patch is worn through the waking hours, about 16: on when you wake, off at bedtime.

Who should ask a doctor before using nicotine patches?
The US label says to ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease, a recent heart attack or an irregular heartbeat; high blood pressure not controlled with medication; an allergy to adhesive tape or skin problems; stomach ulcers or diabetes; or a history of seizures. It says to ask a doctor or pharmacist if you use a non-nicotine stop smoking drug or take a prescription medicine for depression or asthma. If you are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding, it asks you to talk to a doctor or health care provider first too.

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