In the ever-expanding arsenal of ways to quit smoking, there is a new stop smoking drug that is showing promise. While there have been non-nicotine prescription strength drugs available in the past, they have not shown to work for everyone. The new stop smoking drug does not claim to help everyone but as experts relate, the more options that are available, the more opportunities are available to stop smoking.

Typically, aids to help people quit smoking contain nicotine, the drub the users are attempting to get out of their system, and in controlled doses can help wean them from their dependency on the drug. What researchers, as well as those using the drug are finding, is that following treatment, their desire for nicotine may not have been fully abated and they return to smoking for their daily fix. Experts are hoping the new stop smoking drug, which also eliminates the effects of nicotine, will fare better.

The newest new stop smoking drug, varenicline, sold under the name of Chantix, does not use nicotine replacement therapy to help people quit smoking. Rater it works in the brain to reduce the pleasure received from smoking and then eliminates the effects of nicotine that people feel when they smoke.

Replacement Therapies Are Less Effective

There have been replacement therapies available for many years along with the prescription drug bupropion, sold under the name of Wellbutrin and originally marketed as an anti-depressant. After showing favorable benefits to help people quit smoking it was remarketed under the name of Zyban as a quit-smoking aid. While many are excited about the new stop smoking drug there is no belief that it will help everyone.

However, by adding this new stop smoking drug to the market, it offers another weapon to help people quit smoking and its success rate will be closely watched and reported to FDA. Additionally, clinical tests have shown it also works to control weight gain typically associated with smoking reduction and offers relief to smokers long after the initial 12-week drug therapy. It has also improved the success rate for new non-smokers who would typically regain the habit after a year.

Initial results have shown that 44 percent of those using the new stop smoking drug Chantix were successful in their efforts to stop smoking after the first 12 weeks, but researchers are more interested in the longer lasting effects and are monitoring those patients closely. Additionally, because it has been approved by the FDA as a smoking cessation drug it may be covered by many insurance companies.