Giving up smoking help

  Are there other medicines or vaccines to help smokers quit?

Are there other medicines or vaccines to help smokers quit?

Yes. Some medicines that don’t contain nicotine are already approved to help with quitting smoking.

Bupropion (Zyban) is an antidepressant that is FDA approved for helping people quit smoking. This medicine, which does not contain nicotine, is available only with a doctor’s prescription. It affects chemicals in the brain that are related to nicotine craving. It can be used alone or together with nicotine replacement.

Newer medicines may help smokers (or former smokers) by stopping them from getting physical pleasure from smoking. The medicines seem to work by stopping nicotine from stimulating the brain, either by blocking the brain receptors that nicotine normally attaches to, or (in the case of the vaccines) preventing it from reaching the brain altogether.

One such medicine, varenicline (Chantix), is now FDA approved for help with quitting. It is taken in pill form twice a day. Once in the body, it attaches to nicotine receptors in the brain, reducing the pleasurable effects of smoking and helping to reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Several studies have shown varenicline can more than double the chances of quitting smoking. Because varenicline is a new drug, there is no research supporting its safety in using it with nicotine replacement products at the same time.

Other medicines still being studied include rimonabant, which is also taken as a pill, and vaccines that are given as a series of injections. Early tests of these new medicines have been promising. They seem to be safe and to help some smokers to quit or stay quit. But larger studies are needed to show they are effective before they can be approved for use by the FDA. Several large studies of these medicines are now under way. If they prove effective, one or more of these drugs could be approved for use within the next few years.

It is unlikely that any of these drugs will work in every person, however, and using different quitting aids at the same time increases the chances of success.

Where can I go for help?

It is hard to stop smoking, but you can do it! About 46 million Americans have quit smoking for good, and there are now more former smokers than current smokers. Many organizations offer information, counseling, and other services on how to quit, as well as information on where to go for help. Other good resources where help can be found include your doctor, dentist, local hospital, or employer.

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