Even as you are reading this, advances are being made in the field of medications designed to help you quit smoking. As it happens, a new application as a stop smoking aid has been found for a medication that has been around for some time. While it won't eliminate all of your cravings by itself, it can help. There is no panacea for smoking cessation, but a little help can go a long way.



What is this drug, you ask? For its application as a smoking cessation aid, it is being sold under the name Zyban (the active ingredient is bupropion hydrochloride). The same drug has been sold as an antidepressant under the name Wellbutrin for quite some time now. Zyban is being promoted as the first non-nicotine drug on the market to treat addiction to nicotine.

Zyban works by boosting the levels in the brain of dopamine and norepinephrine, which is the same effect that nicotine has upon the brain. It mimics the action of nicotine, which reduces cravings for cigarettes themselves.

Using this drug may give smokers the same sense of well being as does nicotine, while being able to wean themselves off of cigarettes. Many ex-smokers have had success with this method of reducing the cravings. However, these pills are far more effective when taken in conjunction with a stop smoking program and changing ones behavior.

Research has suggested that this non-nicotine pill is more effective in helping smokers to quit than the nicotine patch. The pill and patch used together is a very effective method for quitting cigarettes, but may increase blood pressure.

It is recommended that Zyban be taken twice daily, in the morning and evening. However, it takes about a week for levels of the drug to build up to sufficient strength in the body; for this reason, Zyban has to be started at least a week before actually quitting. Most who take the pill for smoking cessation set a date to quit within one and two weeks of beginning the medication, and stay on it for two to three months.

This non-nicotine pill is not an over the counter medication, and is available by prescription only. A doctor should be consulted first in any case, as Zyban is not for everyone. You should not take Zyban if you are:

* Pregnant or currently nursing.

* Someone who has a history of eating disorders (e.g. bulimia or anorexia nervosa.)

* Currently taking or have recently taken a MAO medication for depression.

* Already taking Wellbutrin, or other medicines containing bupropion hydrochloride.

* Epileptic, or suffering from any other seizure disorder.

Caution: Seizures disorders are a special concern. Bupropion is known to cause seizures in about 1 out of every 1,000 people taking the drug. More commonly reported side effects include dry mouth and insomnia.