By Dr. Dhanaventhan A/L Raman, Lifestyle General Practitioner
Smoking has shown to be a major contributor to premature deaths in adults based on latest studies. This scientific fact needs no introduction. Most people these days know that smoking is injurious to health yet still continue to smoke because of nicotine addiction. Nicotine is a chemical that is deliberately added into cigarettes and vape liquids to cause dependence and addiction to the product. It is not in the financial interest of the tobacco company or vaping industry to completely omit this chemical from their products because it will affect their sales.
What if I told you there is a medicine known as varenicline tartrate that can deal with this very problem, and that this medicine will free the person addicted to nicotine in various products?
Varenicline tartrate is a prescription-only medicine that is used to overcome smoking addiction. It works by attaching to the nicotine receptors in the brain, effectively blocking actual nicotine from attaching to them. Not only that, varenicline tartrate also removes the pleasure associated with smoking, as well as partially activates the nicotine receptor to produce a steady amount of dopamine to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Any smoker will be able to tell you that withdrawal symptoms are the Achilles’ heel in most smoking cessation therapies such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, etc.
The benefits varenicline tartrate brings by helping one stop smoking or vaping at any time outweighs the minor chance of side effects from taking the drug itself. It is proven scientifically that smoking cessation has an almost immediate positive effect on the body. Smoking cessation will half the risk of a person getting cardiovascular disease after just one year, and after ten years, the risk of cardiovascular disease is about the same with a person who has never smoked before in their entire life.
There have been a few drugs available in the past that have been somewhat effective but not very widely used in the past. If you wish to stop smoking but worry about withdrawal symptoms or about how you will cope after stopping smoking please speak to your general practitioner.
Dr Dhanaventhan is a general practitioner who routinely treats patients for nicotine and substance addiction. He is currently also offering direct panel clinic services. HR Departments who would like to work with him may contact 011-2562 6993 for more information.
Dr. Dhanaventhan A/L Raman
Klinik Palani, IPOH
No. 158, Jalan Kuala Kangsar
30010 Ipoh, Perak.
011-2562 6993
