Prescription drug for smoking cessation may reduce craving for alcohol
Canadian prescriptions such as varenicline, also known as Chantix, can help smokers give up cigarettes at a price cheaper than what is found in the U.S.
Canadian prescriptions such as varenicline, also known as Chantix, can help smokers give up cigarettes at a price cheaper than what is found in the U.S. People who have taken this medication have reported that one side effect was a reduction in the amount of alcohol they drank. Based on these anecdotes, researchers from the University of Chicago conducted an experiment to verify these claims.
The scientists recruited 15 people for their study. Although they smoked an average of four cigarettes a day, the main criterion for each subject's selection was his or her status as a moderate or heavy social drinker.
Participants were given a single dose of either varenicline or a placebo three hours before having an alcoholic beverage. Those who took the medication were more likely to experience feelings of depression or anxiety after drinking, and less likely to have enjoyed their beverage, as published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
"The pleasurable effects of alcohol, for example feeling 'buzzed' and talkative, are associated with greater consumption and binge drinking...If varenicline counteracts these positive effects by producing unpleasant [ones], then as a result people may consume less alcohol during a drinking episode," said researcher Emma Childs, PhD.
Further studies are needed to verify these results after long-term use of the medication.
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