The path to quitting has been found.
A recent study suggests that an experimental anti-nicotine drug could be beneficial for individuals looking to quit vaping.
The drug in question, cytisinicline, is derived from natural plant sources and functions by binding to nicotine receptors in the brain, thereby reducing cravings, according to researchers.
Although cytisinicline has yet to receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it has demonstrated effectiveness in aiding smoking cessation. Newly released clinical trial findings reveal that individuals who took cytisinicline tablets while attempting to quit vaping were over twice as likely to successfully cease their e-cigarette use within 9 to 12 weeks. Dr. Nancy Rigotti, the lead researcher and director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, highlighted the significance of this finding, noting that no FDA-approved medication currently exists for vaping cessation in the United States. Rigotti emphasized that cytisinicline could potentially address this gap and assist adult vapers in ending their e-cigarette usage.
Approximately 11 million adults in the U.S. utilize nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, with roughly half expressing a desire to quit but facing difficulties due to addiction.
In the clinical trial, 160 adult e-cigarette users who did not smoke were randomly assigned to receive either cytisinicline or a placebo for a duration of 12 weeks, in addition to supportive therapy for quitting.
By the end of the trial period, nearly 32% of participants who received cytisinicline had successfully quit vaping, compared to only 15% of those who received the placebo.
These findings align with earlier trials assessing the drug’s efficacy in smoking cessation.
While acknowledging the need for larger-scale trials with extended follow-up periods to validate the results, Rigotti expressed optimism about the promising implications of the study.
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