Antismoking drugs cause suicidal thoughts

By Rachel Stockton

Federal drug regulators have issued a warning stating that two popular smoking cessation drugs can cause suicidal thoughts in some patients. The two drugs are Chantix (manufactured by Pfizer) and Zyban (made by GlaxoSmithKline). Zyban is also manufactured as Wellbutrin and is often prescribed by physicians for depression.

In addition to suicidal tendencies, the drugs are said to cause agitation and aggressive behavior brought on by extreme hostility. One CEO of a consulting firm in Northwest Arkansas (who wishes to remain nameless for this article) says that after one week on Wellbutrin, which he had been prescribed for his depression, “I felt as if I could actually hurt someone. I had an out of body experience; I felt that I wasn’t in control of my anger.” His wife was so frightened that she threatened to leave and take the kids with her. Fortunately, his physician realized that the Wellbutrin played a significant role in his mental distress, and took him off the drug immediately.

In spite of these issues, the effectiveness of the drugs is well documented, and is considered a priori by the FDA. Although Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline say they will give a black box warning advising patients of these side effects, Dr. Curtis Rosebraugh, director of a drug evaluation unit for the Federal Food and Drug Administration, tells the New York Times that because the drugs have been relatively successful in helping smokers stop the habit, they will not be taken off the market. The positives it seems, overcome the negatives, as long as the patient is made aware of the drawbacks before hand. 

Although these warnings emphasize the downside of these cessation drugs, a 2006 study indicated that Wellbutrin can be helpful not only in stopping smoking, but in treating depression. The National Institute of Mental Health found that Wellbutrin, taken in conjunction with another antidepressant, cured a significant percentage of patients who had no relief from their depressive symptoms while taking only one drug New York Times), as did BuSpar. For the sake of the study, patients who had garnered no real benefit from taking Celexa were given either Wellbutrin or BuSpar (an anti-anxiety medication) to act as a supplement. Thirty percent of them experienced relief from their depression.

This particular study focused on the benefits of trying alternative medications, should the initial drug prescribed fails to help the patient.