How to quit, step by step.
No willpower speeches. Just the schedule on the FDA label, a strength picked for you, and a plan for the hard moments.
Pick a quit date.
Choose a day in the next two weeks. On that day you stop smoking completely and start your mints. Tell someone you trust.
Pick your strength.
If you use nicotine within 30 minutes of waking up, start with 4 mg. If it is later than that, start with 2 mg. You stay on that strength for all 12 weeks.
Follow the schedule.
Use at least 9 a day. This is when cravings are strongest.
Your body is adjusting. Box 2 is smaller.
The home stretch. Box 3 is the last one.
Graduate.
At week 12 you stop the mints. If you feel you need them longer, the label says to talk to your doctor, and your coach will help you prepare for that conversation.
Using a mint the right way.
- Stop smoking completely when you start.
- Let the mint dissolve slowly, moving it from side to side. Do not chew or swallow it.
- Do not eat or drink for 15 minutes before or while a mint is in your mouth.
- One mint at a time. No more than 5 in 6 hours, or 20 in a day.
A plan for the hard minutes.
Wait it out
Most cravings peak and fade within a few minutes. Set a timer and outlast it.
Change the scene
Stand up, walk, get outside. Cravings are tied to places and routines.
Text your coach
Reply to any Katz Mintz text, day or night, and get a plan for this moment.
Know your triggers
Coffee, driving, drinks, stress. Plan for each one before it shows up.
Ask a doctor first if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have heart disease, a recent heart attack, or an irregular heartbeat
- You have high blood pressure not controlled by medicine
- You have a stomach ulcer or diabetes
- You are on a sodium-restricted diet
- You take prescription medicine for depression or asthma, or another stop-smoking drug
Stop and call a doctor if:
- Mouth problems occur
- You have persistent indigestion or a severe sore throat
- You have an irregular heartbeat or palpitations
- You get signs of too much nicotine: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, weakness, rapid heartbeat
This is a summary. Always read and follow the full Drug Facts label on your package.