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What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Caffeine and nicotine

Nicotine's FDA label of July 25, 2024 names caffeine in its drug interactions (prescription label) section; the caffeine labels PlainMeds reads (2) do not name nicotine. The nicotine label: “May Require a Decrease in Dose at Cessation of Smoking: Acetaminophen, caffeine, imipramine, oxazepam, pentazocine, propranolol, or other beta-blockers, theophylline; …”

Check it at the source: the caffeine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 29, 2026, Sagent Pharmaceuticals); the nicotine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 25, 2024, Dr. Reddys Laboratories Inc.).

What does the caffeine label say about nicotine?

Caffeine's label (effective July 29, 2026) and its 1 other brand-application label do not name nicotine in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.

Source: FDA drug label (caffeine citrate), Sagent Pharmaceuticals, effective July 29, 2026 (SPL set 5f38c395-0093-4afd-89ec-f96e5dc0934a), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the nicotine label say about caffeine?

Nicotine label, drug interactions (prescription label)

May Require a Decrease in Dose at Cessation of Smoking: Acetaminophen, caffeine, imipramine, oxazepam, pentazocine, propranolol, or other beta-blockers, theophylline; Possible Mechanism: Deinduction of hepatic enzymes on smoking cessation.

Source: FDA drug label (Nicotine transdermal system), Dr. Reddys Laboratories Inc., effective July 25, 2024 (SPL set e2391b29-9bac-fc09-f2a5-a3370bc4e2c3), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.

Both medicines on the record

7Caffeine generic labelers
69Nicotine generic labelers
CaffeineNicotine
Labeled forn/aQuitting smoking
Boxed warningNoNo
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)$0.083 per tablet 200 mg tablet$1.87 per patch 21 mg/24hr patch
Shortage nowNo current entryNo current entry

Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)

What next?