As part of the UK government's efforts to create a smoke-free generation, the National Health Service (NHS) England is rolling out a new and improved pill to help people stop smoking, giving thousands of smokers a better chance to quit for good.
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The smoking cessation pill, known as Varenicline, will be offered to around 85,000 smokers in England to help them kick the habit alongside behavioural support, according to a November press release.
NHS England states that the tablet is as effective as vapes in helping people stop smoking and performs even better than nicotine-replacement gum or patches. About 1 in 4 people who take varenicline with behavioural support manage to quit for at least six months, the NHS reported.
Varenicline works by reducing nicotine cravings by blocking its effect on the brain as well as easing withdrawal symptoms like irritability and trouble sleeping. The pharmaceutical company Teva UK will manufacture the drug for the NHS.
A decline in smoking rates over the past couple of decades means that only 11.6% of adults in England still smoke – about 6 million people. There were more than 400,000 hospital admissions in England linked to smoking last year, alongside 74,600 smoking-related deaths in the UK in 2019, accounting for around 15% of all deaths that year. This rollout ties in with the UK government’s new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to gradually phase out smoking as it expects to curb the £2.5bn spent each year on the NHS treating smoking-related health issues.
“Prevention is better than cure," added Wes Streeting, health and social care secretary. "The rollout of this pill can save the NHS millions of pounds, save appointments to help other patients be seen faster, and save lives. Taken alongside our tobacco and vapes bill, the government and NHS are building a healthy society to help power a healthy economy.”