NRT should be avoided in which scenario?

• A. Continuing to smoke tobacco
• B. Combining other nicotine products
• C. Both of the above
• D. None of the above

Answer: (C)

The idea behind nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is to ease withdrawal so you can stop smoking. Using NRT most effectively is when it supports a quit attempt without ongoing tobacco use. If someone continues to smoke, the goal of quitting isn’t being advanced, and the benefit of NRT is reduced because the smoking behavior still delivers nicotine and reinforces dependence. Similarly, using other nicotine products at the same time as NRT raises total nicotine exposure, which can increase side effects and complicate dosing without giving a clear added benefit. Because these two scenarios undermine the purpose of NRT and can raise safety or effectiveness concerns, the option that combines both situations—continuing to smoke and using multiple nicotine products—is considered the best answer.