Beware Smokers! Especially those who are trying to quit the habit with drugs Chantix and Zyban. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that they are in the high-risk category for mental sickness. This caution comes after looking into reports of weird behavior among the drug users.

The manufacturer of Chantix (varenicline) is Pfizer and Zyban (buproprion) is GlaxoSmithKline. Buproprion is also available as an anti-depressant commercially under the name of Wellbutrin.

With the FDA alert, the drugs can be sold commercially, only if accompanied by health warning stating that the users should be closely watched for behavior variations like depression, suicidal and hostile tendencies. The manufacturers of both the drugs are required by law to conduct clinical trials to verify the extent of damage to mental health.

Even though numerous suicides and suicidal attempts have been reported among drug users, FDA officials and doctors are supporting the drug-usage. They say that smokers should not refrain from using it to curb their deadly habit, but to use it caution.

According to the IMS Health statistics, Chantix introduced in 2006 has cornered about 90% of the quit-smoking drug market. Due to earlier health warnings, its sale was sliding down. Industry insiders predict that the present FDA warning will not have any further effect on the sales of the drug.

Pfizer vice president and head of medical affairs, Dr. Steve Romano, expressed that the suicidal thoughts displayed by the drug users are the result of the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine and the ‘black-box’ warning will help doctors to stay alert with these patients.

However, the company officials acknowledge that the tendencies are evident even in cases where the patient is still smoking.

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