If you’re looking for a way to quit smoking that has a proven success rate, you may be interested in a drug called Zyban. The main active ingredient of Zyban is bupropion hydrochloride, which is also known as Wellbutrin. Originally prescribed as an antidepressant, Wellbutrin exhibited a side effect of making patients lose interest in cigarettes. With the Wellbutrin results as a guide, Zyban was developed and has been available as a smoking treatment since 1998.
How Zyban Works
The reason Zyban is so effective is not clearly understood. It makes patients feel energized and gives them a sense of well-being, which makes it useful for helping people quit smoking.
Patients start taking Zyban while they are still smoking. The quit date is set for 7 days later, and the drug is continued for another 7 to 10 weeks after that quit date. Patients report minimal symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Studies have shown that success rates of Zyban are about twice that of placebos.
If the smoker hasn’t made significant improvements in his smoking habits by 10 weeks, it is unlikely that continued use of Zyban will help. Zyban treatment is like any other...