in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ) ▁g um ▁was ▁sold ▁only ▁by ▁pres cription . ▁ ▁In ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁EU ▁and ▁the ▁US , ▁nic ot ine ▁g um ▁is ▁ ▁available ▁at ▁ph arma cies ▁over - the - counter ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁restrictions ▁on ▁under age ▁purch ases ▁as ▁to b acco . ▁Depending ▁upon ▁juris diction ▁and ▁ph arm acy ▁the ▁purch aser ▁may ▁be ▁directed ▁to ▁the ▁ph arm ac ist , ▁or ▁nic ot ine ▁g um ▁may ▁be ▁purchased ▁off - the - sh elf . ▁If ▁sold ▁where ▁to b acco ▁products ▁are ▁also ▁sold , ▁the ▁display ▁of ▁the ▁nic ot ine ▁ther apy ▁products ▁may ▁be ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁to b acco ▁display . ▁▁ ▁Although ▁nic ot ine ▁g um ▁can ▁be ▁purchased ▁over ▁the ▁counter , ▁in ▁efforts ▁to ▁promote ▁and ▁support ▁to b acco ▁c ess ation ▁the ▁F DA ▁has ▁approved ▁the ▁nic ot ine ▁g um , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁N RT ▁agents ▁and ▁two ▁other ▁c ess ation ▁agents : ▁V aren ic line ▁and ▁bu prop ion , ▁for ▁a ▁to b acco ▁c ess ation ▁indic ation . ▁This ▁is ▁very ▁important ▁as ▁it ▁enabled ▁pres cri ptions ▁of ▁these ▁agents ▁to ▁potentially ▁get ▁some ▁coverage ▁based ▁upon ▁your ▁specific ▁ins urance ▁plan , ▁leading ▁to ▁potential ▁lower ▁prices ▁than ▁what ▁are ▁seen ▁over ▁the ▁counter . ▁▁ ▁In ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( and ▁now ▁Australia ) ▁nic ot ine ▁g