In response to the announcement, Professor Sanjay Agrawal, RCP special adviser on tobacco, said: “The harms of tobacco are well known, so we welcome the rollout of varenicline as another valuable tool in supporting smokers to quit . When combined with behavioural support, it can increase the likelihood of successful smoking cessation. As we said in our report on E-cigarettes and Harm Reduction earlier this year, e-cigarettes, varenicline, and cytisine have roughly the same efficacy as quit aids – having a range of treatments  available to people trying to quit smoking depending on individual need, gives people the best chance of getting off cigarettes by finding the quit-aid that works best for them.

“As the NHS embarks on this rollout, we urge a continued focus on integrating behavioural support alongside pharmacological treatment, which is essential for maximising the effectiveness of Varenicline and helping more people quit smoking successfully.”