This low-cost pill can help to quit smoking; Read on to know all about it
It is hard to quit smoking. However, new research reveals that smokers who want to quit smoking are likely to succeed more if they take a pill that can decreases nicotine cravings.
This medicine, cytisine has been used in central and eastern Europe for decades, but it is unavailable in most countries, the US included. Recently, the drug gained regulatory approval in the UK where the pills will be made available later this month.
A team of researchers in Argentina analysed 12 randomised controlled trials which compared the success rates of smokers who tried to quit while taking cytisine, a placebo, another smoking cessation drug called varenicline (Champix), or nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum.
According to the scientists, cytisine pills were more than twice as effective as the placebo at helping people quit smoking. Reportedly, a number of the trials in the review suggested the drug was similar to varenicline and possibly more effective than nicotine replacement therapy.
The findings of the study were published in the Addiction Journal.
“Our study adds to the evidence that cytisine is an effective and inexpensive stop-smoking aid,” said Omar de Santi, a toxicologist at the Posadas National Hospital in Argentina, who led the review as quoted by the Guardian. “Worldwide, smoking is considered the main cause of preventable death. Cytisine has the potential to be one of the big answers to that problem.”
In September 2023, a major study led by Oxford University concluded that e-cigarettes, varenicline and cytisine were similarly effective in helping about 14 smokers in 100 quit for at least six months. Only about six smokers per 100 quit for as long without using any of the stop-smoking aids, that report
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