Nicotine patch
Nicotine patch in Health & fitness
People recommend nicotine patches as a cheap, long-lasting option for focus and anxiety, with fewer side effects than amphetamines. Critics question the evidence behind them.
People recommend nicotine patches as a cheap, long-lasting option for focus and anxiety, with fewer side effects than amphetamines. Critics question the evidence behind them.
11 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 10
- criticize it
- 1
- approval share
- 91%
Recommended in 3 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Owned for 2 years
Median of the 5 owners who said how long they have had it.
Each square is one year.
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 10 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 10 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 3 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Cheaper than prescription stimulants
“it's cheaper, lasts MUCH longer, doesn't cause anxiety and it doesn't push you around like amphetamine.”
Comment from 25 Apr 2026 in “Habitual coffee intake shapes the microbiome, modifies physiology and cognition” “I find it as effective, cheaper, longer-lasting and with less addictive potential than dexamphetamine”
Comment from 11 Apr 2026 in “The effects of caffeine consumption do not decay with a ~5 hour half-life” “Nicotine patches are expensive for what they are but they're basically free compared to meds.”
Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes” - Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes”
Comparable to dexamphetamine or amphetamines
“it's cheaper, lasts MUCH longer, doesn't cause anxiety and it doesn't push you around like amphetamine.”
Comment from 25 Apr 2026 in “Habitual coffee intake shapes the microbiome, modifies physiology and cognition” “I find it as effective, cheaper, longer-lasting and with less addictive potential than dexamphetamine”
Comment from 11 Apr 2026 in “The effects of caffeine consumption do not decay with a ~5 hour half-life” “In my experience it is almost as effective as amphetamines, with fewer side effects”
Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes” - Comment from 19 Nov 2025 in “What nicotine does to your brain”
Fewer side effects than stimulants
“it's cheaper, lasts MUCH longer, doesn't cause anxiety and it doesn't push you around like amphetamine.”
Comment from 25 Apr 2026 in “Habitual coffee intake shapes the microbiome, modifies physiology and cognition” “In my experience it is almost as effective as amphetamines, with fewer side effects”
Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes” “it was as effective as dexamphetamine was, with much fewer of the side-effects”
Comment from 19 Nov 2025 in “What nicotine does to your brain” Helps focus, anxiety and daily life
“nicotine, via patches for me ( half of a 7mg patch - don't want to get used to too much), gave me my life back”
Comment from 19 Nov 2025 in “What nicotine does to your brain” “the patches are great for focus and anxiety when used in low doses in moderation”
Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes” “one thing that helped me a lot are nicotine patches”
Comment from 23 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Little good evidence they work
“There is almost no good evidence of this.”
Comment from 23 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes” Manufacturers discourage cutting patches
“They tell you not to cut them, because that cuts into their profits.”
Comment from 23 Sep 2026 in “People hooked on vapes try a new way to quit: cigarettes”
What people said
All 16 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“break any brain connection between doing something and receiving nicotine”
“I use the patch. Go get your all 3 step patches”
“one thing that helped me a lot are nicotine patches”
“just like the jump from cigarettes to nicotine gum is a good jump, so is vape to cigarettes sometimes”
“They tell you not to cut them, because that cuts into their profits.”
“I think smoking cessation products like patches and gum is not really helping either.”
“There is almost no good evidence of this.”
“the patches are great for focus and anxiety when used in low doses in moderation”
“Patches are the best way.”
“In my experience it is almost as effective as amphetamines, with fewer side effects”
“Nicotine patches are expensive for what they are but they're basically free compared to meds.”
“they've been great, cheap, and legal in the country I live in now”
“it's cheaper, lasts MUCH longer, doesn't cause anxiety and it doesn't push you around like amphetamine.”
“I find it as effective, cheaper, longer-lasting and with less addictive potential than dexamphetamine”
“nicotine, via patches for me ( half of a 7mg patch - don't want to get used to too much), gave me my life back”
“it was as effective as dexamphetamine was, with much fewer of the side-effects”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.