FAQS

General

We are committed to providing convenient, reliable and legal access to smoking cessation products including prescription only vaping products, nicotine patches and gums

Stop Smoking Treatment Options

There are lots of options when deciding how to quit smoking. Which options you choose may depend on the level of your addiction, your smoking habits, your mental health, what your triggers are, and some other external factors. Visit our blog “How to Quit Smoking” to find out more information.

Vaping

The Help Me Stop affiliated pharmacy can dispense liquid nicotine, nicotine pods and nicotine e-cigarettes. Our doctors will only prescribe vaping products that we have assessed and deemed as compliant with the new regulations and satisfy quality, technical and manufacturing standards

From 1 October 2021, you must have a valid prescription from an Australiaan medical practitioner for all purchases of nicotine vaping products, such as nicotine e-cigarettes, nicotine pods and liquid nicotine. This includes products imported through the Personal Importation Scheme. There can be severe penalties for importing or possessing vaping products without a prescription, including fines of over $10,000 in some states, or even prison time. Help Me Stop doctors will assess your eligibility for a prescription following your virtual consultation and a prescription is written before you can make a purchase from our online store.

Australiaan registered medical practitioners can write nicotine vaping product prescriptions. The decision to prescribe any medicine, including nicotine vaping products, is a decision made at the discretion of the individual doctor, having considered the risks and benefits in your particular circumstances. When you complete your virtual consultation at Help Me Stop, a doctor will review your case and as appropriate, write you a prescription for vaping products. Your prescription is sent to our affiliated pharmacy for dispensing and shipped to you by Express Post.

Getting started with Help Me Stop is simple.

01 Register account
Start your quit smoking journey with us

02 Apply for a free script
Complete free virtual consult to apply for a free prescription ($20 charge credited on 1st purchase).

03 Order products
Your script is sent to our affiliated pharmacy. Start shopping our product range.

04 Express delivery
Pharmacy express ships your order. Repeat prescriptions are kept on file for future orders.

There can be severe penalties for importing or possessing vaping devices and products without a prescription, including fines of over $10,000 in some states, or even prison time.

You still require a prescription to purchase via the Personal Import Scheme. You may import 3 months’ supply at a time for personal use, up to a total of 15 months’ supply per year.If you decide to purchase from a retailer based overseas, be sure to buy from a reputable supplier who is able to meet the Australiaan TGO 110 quality standard. Help Me Stop prescriptions are valid for 12 months and when you order from us are dispensed by an Australiaan pharmacy and sent to you by Express Post.

You can legally purchase vaping devices and non-nicotine containing vaping liquid without a prescription.

All scripts issued by HMS doctors are free as long as you place an order once we notify you that your script has been issued. We will initially charge $20 prior to your script being issued. This $20 will be credited against your first order with us and therefore your script is at no cost. If you choose to just obtain a script from HMS and place no orders via your personal portal, there is a $20 charge. Please note, all scripts generated are for the products we carry only.

A one pack a day smoker can spend up to $50 every day. A patient using a prescription vape can expect to pay less than $10 per day for a similar level of tobacco cigarette consumption.

We can accept any official form of valid photo ID (e.g passport). You can also use your passport or a photo card. If you have any issues please contact us at [email protected] or through our contact us form.

We are an Australiaan operation and our prescriptions are written for local use only, they are not for use overseas. You will need to have a local Australiaan address for delivery of your order.

We make sure that all of our products are high-quality but every now and then things can go wrong.

Before you get in touch there are a few things that you could check:

PACKAGING: If your device is new please make sure all of the packaging is removed from the device before use. There may be packaging around the vape pod, silicon plugs on the mouthpiece and base of the device and plastic strips over the charging terminals. All these can cause some issues with the charging or functionality of the device.

CHARGING: Vaping devices are designed to be charged over a low wattage power source. This is best achieved by using the supplied cable and plugging into a USB port on your laptop or similar device and disconnecting the power once fully charged. The wattage of some wall chargers can be too high and not suitable for charging your device. You should also check to see if your device charging terminals are clean before charging and clear out condensation or dust that may have built up in your device by blowing hard into the mouthpiece.

If your device still isn’t working – Get in Touch! All our vaping devices come with a three month warranty – please see our refunds policy for full details.

Of course! The script is written against the products you can see in our store so it’s always worth checking if your pharmacy can dispense these first. To release the script we charge a $59 fee for admin and processing. Alternatively you can purchase all the products through our store – we provide express shipping Australiaa wide.

We are committed to providing convenient, reliable and legal access to smoking cessation products including prescription only vaping products, nicotine patches and gums

Safety

Evidence of the potential efficacy of nicotine vaping products for smoking cessation is currently mixed, with more reliable, large-scale studies required. Vaping is still relatively new and clinical research has a long way to catch up on the potential side effects and long-term health outcomes of vaping which are currently unknown.

E-cigarettes, or vapes, do not produce the tar produced by conventional cigarettes which is the main cause of lung cancer. However, many scientists are concerned that using e-cigarettes could increase risk of lung disease, heart disease and cancer.

The breakdown of nicotine and other ingredients in vape liquid like vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol can result in the formation of toxic compounds such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and benzenes as well as heavy metals. We discuss the safety profile of vaping in more detail here

It’s important to acknowledge there’s limited available evidence on the efficacy, safety or long-term health effects of nicotine vaping products. There are potential side effects associated with vaping. Long-term vaping and dual-use (smoking and vaping concurrently) is not recommended and should be avoided. Regular review and monitoring by your regular GP is advised along your smoking cessation journey.

Preliminary research shows vaping can be harmful to the lungs, heart and liver. There is also substantial evidence from animal research that e-cigarette use alters gene expression related to the circadian rhythm which controls sleep and wake cycles.

Although evidence is limited on the safety of vaping, Australiaa has standards and guidelines for legally prescribed vape products to ensure users receive vape devices and e-liquid that meet Australiaan manufacturing compliance benchmarks. Read more about the potential dangers of vaping here

Each individual reacts differently to inhaling aerosolised vape liquid. Some people may not experience any noticeable side effects, but that does not mean vaping is not adversely affecting the body’s physiological processes.

Common side effects include:

  • Coughing after vaping
  • Mouth or throat irritation from vaping
  • Headaches from vaping
  • Nausea

Other side effects that can be associated with vaping include:

  • Anxiety or irritability
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Heart palpitations

It is important to notify your doctor if you experience side effects from vaping and consider alternatives that may support you in working towards a tobacco-free lifestyle. Here’s our in-depth guide to the potential side effects of vaping

Vaping while smoking tobacco can lead to significant health risks because smoking any amount of regular cigarettes is very harmful. People should not use both products at the same time and are strongly encouraged to completely stop using all tobacco products while vaping.

Our products must comply with the relevant TGO 110 quality standard. This standard defines requirements for labelling, ingredients, packaging, nicotine concentration and presence of contaminants. Products that are bought online from overseas suppliers may not meet Australiaa’s quality standard.

No. Help Me Stop doctors will not approve a prescription for patients who are under 18 years of age.

No.Help Me Stop doctors will not issue a vaping product prescription to someone who has not smoked before. Our doctors are available to assist adult smokers who have already tried but failed to quit smoking using approved first line smoking cessation therapies such nicotine gum, nicotine patches.

Nicotine Gum

Nicotine gum is a form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy [NRT] to support smoking cessation. Nicotine gum contains a low dose of nicotine that is released as the gum dissolves. The level of nicotine uptake is lower than that of cigarettes, and nicotine gum is designed to let your body gradually adjust to having less nicotine over time.

As a general guide, you should use nicotine gum for a full 12 weeks to improve your chances of success. However, if you find that you need to use nicotine longer than 12 weeks to manage your cravings, it is important to consult your doctor or healthcare provider first.

Quitting smoking is difficult. But some people find they feel better when a form of NRT like nicotine gum, as opposed to quitting cold turkey. That is because nicotine gum can help reduce the unpleasant symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, which may include depressed mood, insomnia, irritability, frustration, anxiety, and restlessness. The side effects associated with nicotine replacement products are generally mild and may include a slightly sore/irritated throat for oral forms such as nicotine lozenges and redness/itching for nicotine patches.

As a general guide:

  • Chew 1 piece of gum every 1-2 hours for the first 6 weeks of your quit.
  • Be sure to use at least 9 pieces of nicotine gum a day for the first 6 weeks of your quit.
  • If you experience strong or frequent cravings, you may use a second piece within the hour. However, do not continuously use one piece after another
  • Do not use more than 24 pieces a day.

When you’re using nicotine gum, it’s recommended that you try and avoid alcohol, coffee and other beverages that you may associate with smoking.

Nicotine Patches

Nicotine patches are a form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy [NRT] to support smoking cessation. 

Nicotine patches are placed on the skin and work by delivering small amounts of nicotine through the outer layer of skin to the blood vessels beneath. The level of nicotine uptake is lower than that of cigarettes, and the patch is designed to let your body gradually adjust to having less nicotine over time.

Nicotine patches are available in different strengths. The strength depends on how many cigarettes you smoke a day. 

If you smoke 10 cigarettes or more a day, you should start on with the 21mg patch. Use that for six weeks, before moving to a 14mg patch for two weeks, and then to 7mg patch for a further 2-4weeks.

If you smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day, you should start with a 14mg patch. It’s recommend you use this patch for six weeks, before moving to a 7mg patch. Also if you have cardiovascular disease or weigh less than 45kg you should start on a lower dose product.

If you need nicotine patches for longer than 6 months, seek advice from your doctor or healthcare professional.

Quitting smoking is difficult. But some people find they feel better when a form of NRT like nicotine patches, as opposed to quitting cold turkey.  That is because nicotine patches can help reduce the unpleasant symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, which may include depressed mood, insomnia, irritability, frustration, anxiety, and restlessness. The side effects associated with nicotine replacement products are generally mild and may include a slightly sore/irritated throat for oral forms such as nicotine lozenges and redness/itching for nicotine patches.

After opening the pouch, the patch should be applied immediately to the skin since it loses nicotine content with exposure to air. 

Nicotine patches are available in different strengths. The strength depends on how many cigarettes you smoke a day. 

If you smoke 10 cigarettes or more a day, you should start on with the 21mg patch. Use that for six weeks, before moving to a 14mg patch for two weeks, and then to 7mg patch for a further 2-4weeks.

If you smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day, you should start with a 14mg patch. It’s recommend you use this patch for six weeks, before moving to a 7mg patch. Also if you have cardiovascular disease or weigh less than 45kg you should start on a lower dose product.

If you need to use nicotine patches for longer than 6 months, seek advice from your doctor or healthcare professional.

When you’re using nicotine patches, it’s recommended that you try and avoid alcohol, coffee and other beverages that you may associate with smoking.

No. Nicorette patches are designed to gradually release therapeutic nicotine throughout the day, providing just enough to reduce the cravings and withdrawal symptoms when you quit smoking. Extensive clinical testing has established the appropriate amounts of therapeutic nicotine for each of the three Steps. Cutting patches is therefore not recommended because it may affect delivery of therapeutic nicotine into the blood.

You can improve your chance of quitting by using the nicotine patch and another product, like nicotine gum. This is often called ‘dual support’. 

If using one nicotine replacement therapy product isn’t enough to help you quit, dual support can increase your likelihood of stopping smoking for good. 

  • Patches are used to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings throughout the day.
  • Gum or lozenges are used to relieve breakthrough cravings as they arise.