A hard candy-like tablet that contains a small dose of nicotine. The nicotine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth and goes into the blood. This helps stop nicotine cravings, and relieves symptoms that occur when a person is trying to quit smoking. A prescription is not needed for nicotine lozenges.

A lozenge preparation containing the alkaloid nicotine with nicotine replacement activity. Upon administration of the lozenge, nicotine is released and, although nicotine binds to nicotinic cholinergic receptors at the autonomic ganglia, adrenal medulla and at neuromuscular junctions as well, the binding of nicotine to the receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) appears to be responsible for the addictive nature of nicotine. Binding to CNS nicotinic acetylcholine receptors causes the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine which appears to be responsible for the addiction of nicotine. Administration of nicotine may prevent nicotine craving and may help with the withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation.