Smoking cessation is a huge task and many people try it many times before they finally manage to succeed or stop trying. Very rarely people succeed if they try to quit smoking without an aid. Therefore, many aids such as nicotine patches, gums, lozenges, acupuncture, hypnosis, artificial (non-tobacco) cigarettes, quit smoking drugs, etc have surfaced in the market.

Among all these quit smoking drugs, one drug, which has shown highest success rate, is Chantix.

About Chantix

Chantix is a Pfizer made drug and is only available on prescription. The active ingredient in Chantix is varenicline. This quit smoking drug has shown lots of potential in clinical trials. Many people who wish to quit smoking take help from this drug because it has many benefits. Firstly, Chantix helps in alleviating nasty cravings that arise due to lack of nicotine that you get from smoking. Secondly, Chantix helps in reducing withdrawal symptoms that arise because your body demands nicotine. It does this by attaching to nicotinic receptors in brain cells and tricking your brain into believing that you are getting nicotine. Moreover, if you smoke while on Chantix, it blocks nicotine from attaching to the brain cells and giving you no pleasure in smoking. In fact, you are so turned off by smoking that you quit more stalwartly.

Who can take Chantix? – Basic eligibility to take Chantix

Any person who is keen to quit smoking can take Chantix. However, certain people should take it with caution or not take it all depending on their medical conditions. People who should not take Chantix are as follows:

People below the age of 18 years cannot take Chantix

Pregnant and nursing women should not go for Chantix. It is preferable they start smoking cessation treatment before planning a baby

People having any known allergy to any of the ingredients of Chantix, should not take Chantix

People having mental illnesses and depression

People having kidney disorders should go for lower dosage of Chantix to avoid any side effects

Comes in the strength of

It is very important to take the right dosage of Chantix as it can affect the safety and efficacy of your treatment. Chantix comes in the strength of 0.5mg and 1mg. The dosage schedule of Chantix is as follows:

- 0.5mg tablets once a day for first three days

- 0.5mg tablets twice a day from day four till day seven

- 1mg tablets twice a day from day seven till the end of treatment

Pfizer has color-coded Champix tablets to differentiate between the dosages. The lower dosage is available in white and the higher one in blue.

Ingredients of Chantix

The active ingredient in Chantix is varenicline tartrate and other ingredients of Chantix are as follows:

Inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose (NF), anhydrous dibasic calcium

phosphate (USP), croscarmellose sodium (NF), colloidal silicon dioxide (NF),

magnesium stearate (NF), Opadry ® White (for 0.5 mg), Opadry ® Blue (for 1 mg), and

Opadry® Clear (for both 0.5 mg and 1 mg)

If you are allergic to any ingredients of Chantix, do not take it. If you are not aware of any allergies, consult a doctor and ask him to perform an allergy test to determine any allergies.

Side effects of Chantix

These are the most common side effects of Chantix. However, all these are mild effects and not necessarily happen to everybody. Most people who take Chantix experience no or mild side effects.

Nausea

Sleeping disorder and unusual dreams

Gas and stomach problems

Sleeplessness

Constipation

Headache

Loss of taste

Availability of Chantix

Chantix is available in many countries including the UK, the US, and recently it was approved in Japan and Australia. You can buy Chantix from a local pharmacy or seek an online source to get it. It is easier to buy Chantix online, so many internets users prefer this method to avail of Chantix.

Why Chantix out of other smoking cessation medicines?

Chantix has the highest success rate and in clinical trials, it was seen that it is twice more effective than Zyban and four times more effective than cold turkey method. Chantix does not even contain nicotine so it is better than nicotine replacement therapies in many ways.