Consumer Alert: Think Twice Before Using Chantix (Champix) as a Smoking Cessation Aid!




The US federal government has appeared with new guidelines for American physicians as to what drug should be advised to their patients as a smoking cessation aid. The pharmaceutical medication Chantix, a relatively new and controversial drug, is now heavily promoted as the best option for those who wish to quit smoking. However, dangerous side effects of Chantix, which include major depression, suicide, and other psychiatric risks, can well overpower its alleged positive actions of a “safe and effective” smoking cessation pill.


Although the new governmental recommendations mention hazardous side effects of Chantix on the nervous system and psychiatric health, they also insist that this drug, which is manufactured and aggressively marketed by Pfizer Inc., is the best medication to help people kick the habit. Every American doctor is now encouraged to push Chantix onto his smoking patients, since the guidelines have been officially published by the federal Public Health Service. Medical practitioners are also persuaded to recommend Chantix as the best and most effective smoking cessation aid.

Chantix was first approved by the government and appeared on the market in 2006. Yet, consumer advocates insist that the drug has not been researched enough and is not safe.

The medication works as a nicotine receptor agonist, meaning that it inhibits nicotine-sensitive receptors in the central nervous system and brain, which dulls pleasurable sensations from smoking and should discourage users from desiring tobacco. Chantix is the first and so far only medication of this class recommended as a smoking cessation support. It is promoted as an advanced alternative to nicotine replacement medications and other therapies routinely used in smoking cessation.

It has to be mentioned that the federal government recommendations were formulated by Dr. Michael Fiore, an expert who used to work for Pfizer Inc. as a paid consultant.

According to the FDA data, Chantix users can experience severe adverse reactions to the drug already within the first several days of treatment. The reported effects include behavioural and emotional changes, depression, violent behaviour, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and other terrifying psychiatric symptoms, some of which can be severe. In addition, Chantix can trigger psychiatric disease in people who had not suffered from any mood disorders prior to the treatment. Other aversive side effects of Chantix feature nausea and vomiting, amnesia, insomnia and heavy dreaming, anxiety, and gastrointestinal disturbances, including bloating, constipation and flatulence. Alcohol consumption can dangerously exasperate side effects of Chantix.

It has been estimated that, up to now, 34 US users of the drug have committed suicide and 107 Canadian consumers have suffered dangerous reactions, including neuropsychiatric symptoms. Seven Canadian users of Chantix became suicidal. In Canada, Chantix is known under the name Champix.

It is also noted that a considerable percentage people taking the drug have not stopped smoking. According to tobacco researcher Lois Biener from the Boston’s University of Massachusetts, the Chantix’s alleged benefits for smoking cessation are in fact “way less” than advertized. In his opinion, most smokers who really want to kick the habit do it without any pharmaceutical help.

Some of the organizations that protect consumer rights, including the US Public Citizen group, have initiated a campaign to encourage the FDA to put the black box label on Chantix, thus indicating the highest level of consumer safety warning.

Deanna Campbell

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Posted on May 9, 2008 
Filed Under Stop Smoking News

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