WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Thursday approved a nicotine lozenge that will be sold in stores along with gums and patches to help people quit smoking.

The over-the-counter Commit Lozenge provides smokers with a source of nicotine that helps them avoid cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms while they try to quit, maker GlaxoSmithKline said. The lozenges will be sold in two strengths. Instructions will direct smokers to choose the appropriate dose based on how quickly they reach for a cigarette after they wake up, an indicator of how dependent they are on nicotine, the company said. Using the appropriate strength can help improve chances of quitting, GlaxoSmithKline said. The lozenges have a slightly minty taste and dissolve gradually to get nicotine in the bloodstream slowly, said Saul Shiffman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. "It's not meant to be a quick jolt," he said. London-based GlaxoSmithKline, the drug giant that also makes the Nicorette smoking cessation products, said the lozenges will be available in stores by the end of November.

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