AS AN anti-smoking pill gets the NHS green light, you might be mustering up the courage to quit smoking for good. After being pulled from shelves due to manufacturing issues in 2021, varenicline - that cuts cravings for nicotine as Ozempic cuts cravings for food - will once again be available in England . It'll be dished out by smoking clinics to help smokers stub out the habit, with experts estimating the pill could benefit 85,000 people each year and save thousands of lives.
Varenicline, given as a daily tablet over a few months, works by reducing cravings for nicotine and blocking its effect on the brain - not dissimilar to the way drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic work. Dr Lion Shahab , head of behavioural science and health at University College London (UCL), told Sun Heath: “Varenicline is one of the most effective medications to help smokers stop for good. "It works by reducing cravings for cigarettes and mimicking some of the effects of nicotine - not unlike Ozempic, which reduces appetite for food and increases the feeling of fullness after eating.
" Read more on smoking The anti-smoking pill also helps ease nicotine withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling irritable or having difficulty sleeping. NHS England said varenicline is as effective as vapes and more effective than nicotine replacement gum or patches when it comes to quitting smoking. Used alongside behavioural support, such as counselling, it's been shown to help around one in four people to quit the habit for at .