Stop Smoking

One in five adults in the US, or nearly 45 million people, smoke. Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths. Smoking causes 1 out of 5 deaths in the US each year, with smoking killing close to 500,000 Americans a year, and over 1,000 a day. Cigarette smoking is responsible for a growing list of cancers, as well as chronic diseases including those of the lung and heart. It also has horrid health effects such as hair loss, tooth decay and premature aging.

If you’ve decided to stop smoking or you’d like to stop, you don’t necessarily need to go live on a deserted island to do so. When taking any medication, you do need to do extensive research and make sure you pick the best stop-smoking medication for you.

One stop-smoking drug on the market is Wellbutrin, which is a somewhat controversial stop-smoking medication. Wellbutrin is also sold under the name Zyban. Its also known under the names, Buproprion and Amfebutamone. Buproprion was first marketed as an antidepressant, and today, is the 4th largest prescribed antidepressant in the world.

Wellbutrin (Buproprion) works at reducing the addictive effects of nicotine in the smoker. Its the nicotine that causes the smoker to light up another cigarette. During one clinical test, approx. 75% of those people who took Wellbutrin (Buproprion) for 7 weeks said their urges for nicotine were reduced. This medication to be taken orally. Its vital to not skip a dose, as if the drug is unavailable, the anxiety pangs could be so strong that the person smokes again. It also may contribute to weight loss a side effect of Wellbutrin (Buproprion) is dry/cotton mouth and this makes food less appealing. This is perceived as a plus given that smoking cessation is often linked with weight gain often.

Some experts claim that Wellbutrin (Buproprion) is little more than a placebo, which creates a false feeling of de-addiction in the mind of the smoker. Others argue that it will not work in hardened smokers, and there is a tendency to start smoking again.

Wellbutrin (Buproprion) cannot be prescribed to people having problems such as epilepsy or eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia, or with liver or kidney problems, or by anyone suffering from high blood pressure. Wellbutrin (Buproprion) is not for consumption by children and adolescents, as continuous use of the drug can increase the risks of suicide. The FDA has made it compulsory for all packets of the drug to carry a suicide risk warning. One side effect of Wellbutrin (Buproprion) is xerostomia, or dry/cotton mouth.

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