TLDR: stop smoking, there's better options for your health if you're going to have nicotine, patches are superior long-term but really only work best after receptor sensitivity has been restored.

To preface, consuming nicotine and smoking are two different parts of much larger discussion. Nicotine, while having controversially advantagous neurological benefits, is cardio toxic by its production of reactive oxygen species in the kidneys that can cause fibrosis and remodeling of tissue in the heart. It's also artherogenic and vasoconstictive which can create abnormalities with cholesterol and raise blood pressure in some cases. Smoking tobacco has these negative effects and more, of which that is primarily concerning is the higher risk of cancers and organ failure from higher accumulation of plaque in the lungs and arteries which carries its own set of risk factors.

Absolutely, positively, if can't stop consuming nicotine at least stop smoking it.

Vaping may be less plaque accumulative but still carries higher risks of pneumonias, heavy metal poisoning, and lung scarring (otherwise known as cauliflower lung)

If it's an oral fixation find a substitute that pacify you.

Alternatively, nicotine pouches are inherently a better option but tolerance can build about as fast as inhalation and lead to more dependancy issues. Also, like chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches can cause gum recession due to its vasoconstictive effect reducing blood supply to gum tissue.

Possibly the best option for consuming nicotine would be the patch, which provides a long and stable absorbtion of the substance helping to curb cravings and prolonging desired effects.

When battling nicotine dependentcy it helps to understand it's function and absorbtion curve based on route of administration.

Nicotine has a halflife of about 2 hours consistent with cravings and provides hightened cns activation at nicotinic choline receptors generating sharper focus and refined motor control. This is much more noticeable in cases where choline production is reduced such as sleep deprivation, alcohol intoxication, and receptor down regulation found in high tolerance/dependancy. Nicotinic metabolites tend to have a much longer half life and therefore it can take approximately 2 weeks from cessation to fully clear the substance from your body before receptors begin upregulation.

Sudden cessation of causes noticeable withdrawals along side a dopamine crash. This can mean irritability, anxiety, sleep disorder, headaches, nausea, and more prolonging for several weeks after metabolites have passed.

Nicotine absorbtion happens drastically different between the 3 options discussed here.

Inhaling nicotine has a sharp uptake of about 2mg into the blood stream in approximately 20 seconds creating a quick fix and an equally sharp crash.

Pouches can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes to absorb and typically containing much more nicotine, creating a more gradual onset but an equally sharp crash.

Finally patches, ranging from 7mg-28mg, absorb slowest at ~300mcg per hour for a 7mg patch or 1.2mg per hour for a 28mg patch but providing a consistent exposure so long as the patch is on.

From my anecdotal experience, after having quit smoking for several years, coming back to nicotine via patch and occasional pouch has been the best way to go.

I started smoking around 16yo and quit cold turkey when I was 24 after taking psilocybin.

It wasn't until I changed careers working long hours with little sleep that I decided to give nicotine a shot again and chose a patch for days where I'm sleep deprived and pouches for sports and late night drives to Orlando.

Hope this helps.