The new drug will help thousands of smokers to quit and could save the NHS millions, but what can patients expect from it?

The NHS outlines its strategy for helping smokers quit using Varenicline, which NHS data shows gives people the best chance of kicking the habit once and for all

The NHS will start offering an "improved" stop smoking pill to tens of thousands of people in England who want to quit cigarettes. Varenicline, a daily tablet given over a few months, is as effective as vapes and more effective than nicotine replacement gum or patches,

A once-a-day pill that could help tens of thousands of people give up cigarettes and prevent thousands of smoking-related deaths each year will be rolled out on the health service, health officials in the UK say.

A daily pill designed to help people give up smoking will soon be rolled out on the NHS as experts hope it could prevent thousands of smoking-related deaths a year. Called Varenicline, the pill tackles nicotine cravings while also combatting withdrawal symptoms like irritability and sleeping issues.

Around £2.5bn is spent annually by the NHS on treating health issues caused by smoking - the leading cause of preventable illness and deaths.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which provides drug guidance for the NHS, said there are some side effects that can be seen commonly and include an abnormal appetite, constipation and/or diarrhoea, dizziness, dry mouth, headaches and nausea. Muscle aches and an increase in weight can also be seen.

Varenicline is a pill that has to be taken daily to help you stop smoking. It helps to reduce nicotine cravings and the urge to smoke again by stimulating the receptor in your brain that nicotine normally would. It blocks those receptors so nicotine can't bind to them, according to Lloyds Pharmacy.

The NHS has announced the roll-out of varenicline as an ‘improved anti-smoking pill’ after withdrawal of a branded version in 2021.

Varenicline, a simple daily pill, could be a game-changer for people who want to quit smoking and is another vital step in shifting our NHS further towar

A new pill could be a "game-changer" for thousands of smokers in England aiming to quit. NHS England has announced that varenicline, a daily pill, may be more effective than nicotine patches or gum and as effective as vaping in reducing cravings and the effects of nicotine addiction.