Health2you.info

The latest pill to help people stop smoking is called Chantix (or Champix in Europe). There are high hopes that this may be a successful product to reduce the number of people that are addicted to smoking.

There have been a number of different types of treatment to help people give up smoking. These include nicotine replacement gum, acupuncture and hypnotherapy. But many people like the idea of just being able to take a pill and then give up.

Chantix has recently been introduced by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. It works by relieving the craving for nicotine, which is one of the main problems that people find when they give up. It blocks nicotine from working, so even if a person does light up, they will not derive pleasure from the experience of smoking. It is important to realise that it is not nicotine based, so it is not similar to nicotine replacement therapy.

Chantix is a prescription medicine so you will need to see your doctor. It is given over a 12-week course. The initial results with it have been promising. In 2 clinical trials, 44 per cent of smokers quit smoking by the end of their 12 weeks of taking the drug. By the end of one year 1 in 5 were still non-smokers.

It is still important that you have some personal will power and real desire to give up. Just taking this pill is not going to magically make you stop smoking.

Chantix generally has a good safety profile. However there have been some concerns raised as to psychiatric symptoms in some patients. It is still unclear if this was due to the drug itself or nicotine withdrawal.

If you are determined to stop smoking them Chantix maybe a good choice for you. You should contact your doctor or a smoking cessation specialist to inquire about its availability.