Nicotine patch schedule

US pack (21 / 14 / 7 mg · 24-hour) · first patch Friday 6 November 2026 · made on 23 Oct at getburnout.app/tools/nicotine-patch-schedule

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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.

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

The calendar

Wk 1	Fri 6 Nov 21 mg	Sat 7 Nov 21 mg	Sun 8 Nov 21 mg	Mon 9 Nov 21 mg	Tue 10 Nov 21 mg	Wed 11 Nov 21 mg	Thu 12 Nov 21 mg
Wk 2	Fri 13 Nov 21 mg	Sat 14 Nov 21 mg	Sun 15 Nov 21 mg	Mon 16 Nov 21 mg	Tue 17 Nov 21 mg	Wed 18 Nov 21 mg	Thu 19 Nov 21 mg
Wk 3	Fri 20 Nov 21 mg	Sat 21 Nov 21 mg	Sun 22 Nov 21 mg	Mon 23 Nov 21 mg	Tue 24 Nov 21 mg	Wed 25 Nov 21 mg	Thu 26 Nov 21 mg
Wk 4	Fri 27 Nov 21 mg	Sat 28 Nov 21 mg	Sun 29 Nov 21 mg	Mon 30 Nov 21 mg	Tue 1 Dec 21 mg	Wed 2 Dec 21 mg	Thu 3 Dec 21 mg
Wk 5	Fri 4 Dec 21 mg	Sat 5 Dec 21 mg	Sun 6 Dec 21 mg	Mon 7 Dec 21 mg	Tue 8 Dec 21 mg	Wed 9 Dec 21 mg	Thu 10 Dec 21 mg
Wk 6	Fri 11 Dec 21 mg	Sat 12 Dec 21 mg	Sun 13 Dec 21 mg	Mon 14 Dec 21 mg	Tue 15 Dec 21 mg	Wed 16 Dec 21 mg	Thu 17 Dec 21 mg
Wk 7	Fri 18 Dec 14 mg	Sat 19 Dec 14 mg	Sun 20 Dec 14 mg	Mon 21 Dec 14 mg	Tue 22 Dec 14 mg	Wed 23 Dec 14 mg	Thu 24 Dec 14 mg
Wk 8	Fri 25 Dec 14 mg	Sat 26 Dec 14 mg	Sun 27 Dec 14 mg	Mon 28 Dec 14 mg	Tue 29 Dec 14 mg	Wed 30 Dec 14 mg	Thu 31 Dec 14 mg
Wk 9	Fri 1 Jan 7 mg	Sat 2 Jan 7 mg	Sun 3 Jan 7 mg	Mon 4 Jan 7 mg	Tue 5 Jan 7 mg	Wed 6 Jan 7 mg	Thu 7 Jan 7 mg
Wk 10	Fri 8 Jan 7 mg	Sat 9 Jan 7 mg	Sun 10 Jan 7 mg	Mon 11 Jan 7 mg	Tue 12 Jan 7 mg	Wed 13 Jan 7 mg	Thu 14 Jan 7 mg

Tick each day as the patch goes on. A heavy edge marks the first day of a new strength.

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.

Sources

• NicoDerm CQ Drug Facts label (DailyMed, effective 14 July 2025)