Chantix is the latest stop smoking pill to hit the market. People are placing a high hope on this stop smoking pill to help them kick the habit. It is easy to see why. Stop smoking pills, unlike other stop smoking treatment, is easy to take and people can kick the habit after a while.

Chantix has recently been introduced by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. It works by reducing the craving for nicotine. Nicotine addiction is the number one reason why people fail to kick the habit. I will explain the workings of nicotine from a scientific perspective. The nicotine in your cigarette travels to the brain and attaches itself to the receptors, thus triggering the release of dopamine that makes you feel elated. Chantix blocks nicotine from working by blocking the receptors and preventing the nicotine from interacting with them. So, even when a person smokes, he/she will not get any pleasure from the experience of smoking. After a while, he/she will be prompted to kick the habit. Since Chantix is not nicotine based, it is different from the conventional nicotine replacement therapy.

Chantix is a prescription medicine so you will need to see your doctor. It is prescribed over a 12-week period. The initial results have been promising. In 2 clinical trials, 44 per cent of smokers quit smoking by the end of their 12 weeks of taking the drug. By the end of one year period, 1 in 5 is a still non-smoker.

One important thing to remember is this. Stop smoking requires a lot of patience, discipline and determination. Chantix, although effective, is not a wonder pill that will help you kick the habit overnight. You need to have the courage to say no to cigarettes.

While Chantix is generally safe, there are some concerns about psychiatric symptoms that show up on several patients. It is still unclear if this was due to the drug itself or nicotine withdrawal. Although it sounds like a great idea, this drug also comes with side effects.

Since the pill interferes with your nervous system, your pleasure delivery system might be affected, resulting in abnormal mood swings or behaviors.  And you might find yourself losing interest on other things that you once enjoyed. Suicidal thoughts are also part of the side effects.

My best advice is to consult a doctor before taking Chantix. If you seriously want to quit smoking, you should give this pill a shot.