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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Nicotine

Central Nervous System Drugs used in substance dependence BNF 0410020B0
Data updated April 2026 Download CSV

Nicotine was ranked 394th of 1,792 medicines by items in April 2026, with 20,563 items, down 19.6% on a year earlier.

20,563items -19.6%

Dispensed in April 2026

237,288items

Rolling 12 months

£733,257

Net ingredient cost · April 2026

Figure 1. Nicotine: national items dispensed by month

0 18k 36k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 20,563 Jan 2021: 28k Feb 2021: 28k Mar 2021: 31k Apr 2021: 29k May 2021: 28k Jun 2021: 30k Jul 2021: 32k Aug 2021: 30k Sep 2021: 31k Oct 2021: 31k Nov 2021: 33k Dec 2021: 31k Jan 2022: 31k Feb 2022: 31k Mar 2022: 34k Apr 2022: 30k May 2022: 31k Jun 2022: 30k Jul 2022: 29k Aug 2022: 29k Sep 2022: 27k Oct 2022: 27k Nov 2022: 29k Dec 2022: 26k Jan 2023: 31k Feb 2023: 31k Mar 2023: 36k Apr 2023: 30k May 2023: 32k Jun 2023: 33k Jul 2023: 32k Aug 2023: 31k Sep 2023: 29k Oct 2023: 30k Nov 2023: 31k Dec 2023: 28k Jan 2024: 31k Feb 2024: 31k Mar 2024: 31k Apr 2024: 31k May 2024: 31k Jun 2024: 28k Jul 2024: 29k Aug 2024: 27k Sep 2024: 26k Oct 2024: 27k Nov 2024: 26k Dec 2024: 25k Jan 2025: 28k Feb 2025: 26k Mar 2025: 27k Apr 2025: 26k May 2025: 25k Jun 2025: 23k Jul 2025: 24k Aug 2025: 21k Sep 2025: 22k Oct 2025: 22k Nov 2025: 20k Dec 2025: 21k Jan 2026: 21k Feb 2026: 20k Mar 2026: 22k Apr 2026: 21k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Drugs used in substance dependence
  • Presentations 15 shown
  • Average cost / item £35.66
  • Year on year Down 19.6% on a year earlier
What this is
Net ingredient cost is the list price before discounts and dispensing fees, not what the NHS finally pays.

Top presentations, April 2026

The individual products dispensed under Nicotine this month.

Presentations of Nicotine, April 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Nicorette 15mg Inhalator 0410020B0BBBABZ 4,201 £208,670
Nicorette invisi 25mg/16hours patches 0410020B0BBAVBR 2,321 £74,546
Nicotine 21mg/24hours transdermal patches 0410020B0AAARAR 2,055 £74,805
Nicorette invisi 15mg/16hours patches 0410020B0BBAUAU 1,659 £55,148
Nicotinell TTS 20 patches 0410020B0BCABAQ 1,384 £45,813
Nicorette QuickMist 1mg/dose mouthspray freshmint 0410020B0BBAZBW 1,114 £45,432
Nicotine 1mg/dose oromucosal spray sugar free 0410020B0AABWBW 827 £34,861
Nicorette invisi 10mg/16hours patches 0410020B0BBATAT 788 £26,359
Nicotinell TTS 30 patches 0410020B0BCACAR 760 £24,576
Nicotinell TTS 10 patches 0410020B0BCAAAP 666 £20,596
NiQuitin Clear 21mg patches 0410020B0BDADAR 473 £13,602
Nicotine 2mg medicated chewing gum sugar free 0410020B0AABABA 457 £6,531
NiQuitin 21mg patches 0410020B0BDAAAR 436 £13,437
Nicotine 2mg lozenges sugar free 0410020B0AAAYAY 424 £5,278
Nicorette QuickMist 1mg/dose mouthspray cool berry 0410020B0BBBEBW 348 £13,356

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis · to April 2026 OGL v3.0

Where Nicotine is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Nicotine volumes.

Regional volumes from NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis; practice volumes from NHS dispensing data.

Compare Nicotine with

Other medicines in the same BNF section, by prescribing volume.