Effect of nonnicotine pharmacotherapy on smoking behavior

Smoking-related disease is the single biggest preventable cause of morbidit y and mortality in the United States, yet approximately 25% of Americans co ntinue to smoke. Various dosage forms of nicotine replacement therapy incre ase smoking quit rates relative to placebo, but they generally do not resul t in 1-year quit rates of over 20%. To increase these rates, a number of no nnicotine agents have been investigated. Drugs that modulate noradrenergic neuro transmission (bupropion, nortriptyline, moclobemide) are more effecti ve than those affecting serotonin (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, buspirone, ondansetron) or other neuro transmitters.