Two anti-smoking drugs to carry mental-health warnings – CNN.com.
The FDA said Chantix and Zyban will carry the warnings to alert consumers to the risks of depression and suicidal thoughts when using the drugs.
The drugs also have been reported to cause changes in behavior, hostility and agitation in users, whether users had a history of psychiatric illness or not. In many cases, side effects started shortly after use began and ended when the medication was stopped. The FDA does not know what is causing the changes and said people taking these products should be monitored by their doctor.
This is interesting. I do know that nicotine may replace the neurotransmitter acetycholine in the brain, and this is one of the reasons tobacco is addictive. Among the functions of acetycholine is helping to bring focus and clarity to the thought processes. A person who was low on the stuff to begin with, and then took up smoking, would have an extremely tough time quitting.
Very interesting, Kari. Thanks so much for that information!