Making Healthier Choices About Nicotine

There are many ways to reduce the harms of nicotine use. This page helps you explore options that fit your goals:

Get clear, no-judgment information about your nicotine options—including how to reduce harm and get support. Whether you're trying to quit, switching to a less harmful product, or just want to understand your choices better, this page walks you through what you need to know — and how to take the next step.

• Start with the facts: not all nicotine products carry the same risks.
  Smoking cigarettes is the most harmful way to use nicotine — on average, smokers lose ten years of life compared to non-smokers. Other options, like nicotine patches, gum, or even vaping, carry different levels of risk. Understanding this “continuum of risk” helps you make informed decisions about what works for you.

• Millions of people have already made changes:
  56 million Americans have successfully quit smoking—and around 6 million have switched from cigarettes to vaping.
  See how different people navigate their nicotine choices.

• There’s no one right way to move forward.
  Whether you’re cutting back, switching to something less harmful, or just starting to think about change, we’ve organized this page to help you explore what’s possible—on your terms.

• Curious whether you're dependent on nicotine, or using it to self-medicate? → Explore simple tests and explanations that can help you better understand your symptoms and options.

• Not all nicotine products are created equal.
  Some have gone through scientific review by the FDA—not because they’re “safe,” but because they meet a public health standard.
  → Learn which nicotine products have FDA authorization.