Doctors have discovered that smokers who use a pill to reduce nicotine cravings have more than double the chance of success. This medication, cytisine, derived from laburnum seeds, could be a game changer in helping people quit smoking. Quitting smoking, despite being a popular New Year’s resolution, is difficult due to nicotine’s highly addictive nature. Various nicotine delivery methods, such as vapes, patches, and gums, are safer, but researchers investigated cytisine’s potential efficiency. Cytisine, which has been widely used in Central and Eastern Europe for decades, has received regulatory approval in the United Kingdom and will be available soon.
Cytisine pills are more than twice as effective as placebos in aiding smoking cessation
An Argentine study compared the efficacy of cytisine to placebos, varenicline (Champix), and nicotine replacement therapies.
According to an analysis of 12 controlled trials, cytisine pills are more than twice as effective as placebos in aiding smoking cessation.
Some studies even suggest that cytisine is as effective as varenicline, with a potential advantage over nicotine replacement therapy.
The study’s lead researcher, Omar de Santi, told the Guardian that cytisine is a cheap and effective smoking cessation aid all over the world.
“Smoking is widely regarded as the leading preventable cause of death worldwide.” “Cytisine has the potential to be one of the major solutions to that problem,” he said.
Despite a significant decline in smoking over the last 50 years in the United Kingdom, it remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death.
The potential introduction of cytisine as a prescription-only medicine is expected to aid in smoking cessation efforts.
According to recent Oxford University-led research, cytisine, along with e-cigarettes and varenicline, has comparable effectiveness in helping smokers quit. Non-nicotine aids such as cytisine provide a valuable option for those looking to quit smoking.
Cytisine pills are expected to be available in the UK by the end of January, but the cost may be prohibitively expensive. With a 25-day course costing £115 ($146), some areas may be hesitant to include it in health services, preferring more affordable options like nicotine replacement therapy or vapes.