"More than  million Americans are trying to quit smoking. Smoking cigarettes causes  premature deaths each year due mainly to a twofold risk of cardiovascular disease and a fold risk of lung cancer. In a commentary published in the current issue of the American Journal of Medicine researchers from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University reassure clinicians and their patients that varenicline whose brand name is Chantix is a safe and effective way to achieve smoking cessation and that failure to use this drug has caused preventable heart attacks and deaths from cardiovascular disease.  In  varenicline was approved as a safe and effective means to quit smoking and achieved permanent quit rates of approximately  percent. In  however varenicline received a black box warning by the FDA based on their adverse event reports of neuropsychiatric symptoms like depression and thoughts of suicide. There were plausible alternative explanations including that nearly half of the subjects had psychiatric histories  percent were taking psychotropic drugs and about  percent were suffering from depression. Nonetheless since then there has been a  percent decline in the number of prescriptions dispensed from a peak of about  million in the last quarter of  to about  in the first quarter of .  In their commentary the FAU researchers emphasize that until recently the totality of randomized evidence on varenicline had been restricted to eight small trials which did not demonstrate a hazard. The researchers caution that the reliable detection of small to moderate risks and benefits of drug therapies requires cogent data from largescale randomized trials designed a priori to test the hypothesis.  Such a large randomized trial was recently completed that included both apparently healthy individuals as well as those with severe mental illness. The trial was conducted for  weeks on about  longterm smokers and included equal subgroups of those without as well as with psychiatric disorders. In subjects without psychiatric disorders those treated with varenicline had less neuropsychiatric symptoms and in subjects without psychiatric disorders there were no increases in these symptoms. Both groups of participants assigned at random to varenicline achieved significantly higher abstinence rates at  weeks than those assigned to placebo nicotine patch or bupropion. Just a few months ago the FDA removed the black box warning from varenicline.  The commentary was coauthored by Dianna Gaballa a fourthyear medical student Joanna Drowos D.O. M.P.H. an associate professor of integrated medical science and associate chair of the Department of Integrated Medical Science and Charles H. Hennekens M.D. Dr.P.H. the first Sir Richard Doll Professor and senior academic advisor to the dean all in FAUs Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine.  The existing totality of evidence suggests an urgent need to increase the use of varenicline in the general population as well as in those with serious mental illness who on average die about  years earlier than the general population in part because their smoking rates may be as high as  percent said Hennekens.  Quitting smoking significantly reduces risks of cardiovascular disease beginning within a matter of months and reaching the nonsmoker status within a few years even among older adults. For lung and other cancers however reductions do not even begin to emerge for years after quitting and even after  years quitters achieve death rates only about midway between the continuing smoker and nonsmoker.  For reducing risks of cardiovascular disease its never too late to quit but to reduce risks of cancer its never too early said Hennekens.  The authors speculate that if use of varenicline had not plummeted by  percent following the black box warning in  perhaps  premature deaths from cardiovascular disease may have been avoided each year during the last few years. Public health efforts and effective cessation treatments including behavioral counseling and medication have resulted in a  percent decrease in smoking in the U.S. while the rates are markedly increasing in developing countries.   According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention heart disease is the leading killer among men and women causing approximately  deaths each year.  Among the numerous honors and recognitions Hennekens has received include the Ochsner Award for reducing premature deaths from cigarettes in . From  to  Science Watch ranked him as the third most widely cited medical researcher in the world and five of the top  were his former trainees andor fellows. In  Science Heroes ranked Hennekens No.  in the history of the world for having saved more than . million lives. In  he was ranked the No.  Top Scientist in the World with an Hindex of .  About the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine  FAUs Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is one of  accredited medical schools in the U.S. The college was launched in  when the Florida Board of Governors made a landmark decision authorizing FAU to award the M.D. degree. After receiving approval from the Florida legislature and the governor it became the th allopathic medical school in North America. With more than  full and parttime faculty and more than  affiliate faculty the college matriculates  medical students each year and has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum. To further FAUs commitment to increase much needed medical residency positions in Palm Beach County and to ensure that the region will continue to have an adequate and welltrained physician workforce the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education GME was formed in fall  with five leading hospitals in Palm Beach County. In June  FAUs College of Medicine welcomed its inaugural class of  residents in its first Universitysponsored residency in internal medicine. About Florida Atlantic University Florida Atlantic University established in  officially opened its doors in  as the fifth public university in Florida. Today the University with an annual economic impact of . billion serves more than  undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its sixcounty service region in southeast Florida. FAUs worldclass teaching and research faculty serves students through  colleges the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters the College of Business the College for Design and Social Inquiry the College of Education the College of Engineering and Computer Science the Graduate College the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan Healthy aging biotech coastal and marine issues neuroscience regenerative medicine informatics lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAUs existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information visit http"