Nicotine shower gel - The next weapon in the fight against cigarettes

Three young designers have been awarded a prestigious RSA Design Directions award for their radical new designs aimed at helping people quit cigarettes.

, from the University of Portsmouth, identified the need for a smoking cessation product that did not disrupt the user’s everyday routine and so developed a proposal for a toiletry range called ‘NicRoutine’. 

It incorporates a deodorant, lip balm and shower gel, all containing controlled doses of nicotine to accommodate the quitter at each stage of the process, ranging from a low regular dosage of 2mg up to the once a day dosage of 16mg (depending on the product).

Lucy Wilson, of Loughborough University, proposed a diary designed to offer support and information on pregnancy and giving up smoking. The diary incorporates short-life personalised nicotine patches, determined by a medical adviser, providing an accurate dosage reduction in relation to the user’s pregnancy.

Commenting on the winners, RSA Head of Design, Emily Campbell said:

"Wilson, Franckeiss and Matthews demonstrated once again how much designers have to contribute to technological medical advances in terms of making devices communicative and legible to users. The RSA is proud to honour these outstanding examples of ingenuity and judgement in young designers who continue the long history of our student design awards." 

Download the full press release containing winning designs (PDF, 212KB)

View gallery of winning entries for RSA Design Directions 2008-09