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Variety of delivery options including next day & free delivery.
Pharmacy, clinic and prescribers based in Greater Manchester.
Start your treatment with a quick and free online consultation.
Fill in a quick online consultation for our licensed pharmacists to review.
Our pharmacists will review your treatment to ensure it’s suitable.
Your treatment will be delivered to your door quickly & discreetly.
| Medication Name | Varenicline Film-Coated Tablets |
| Medication Form | Film-coated tablets |
| Used For | Helping adults stop smoking |
| Who Can Use | Adults aged 18 and over |
| Active Ingredient(s) | Varenicline (as tartrate), 0.5mg or 1mg |
| Usual Dose | One 0.5mg tablet daily to start, building up to one 1mg tablet twice daily |
| Common Side Effects | Nausea, difficulty sleeping, abnormal dreams, headache |
| Prescription Required | Yes |
| Patient Information Leaflet | Varenicline Patient Information Leaflet |
Varenicline tablets are a prescription medicine that helps adults stop smoking. They ease cravings and nicotine withdrawal symptoms that make quitting so difficult, and they take away some of the enjoyment of smoking, so a cigarette feels less rewarding if you do have one while taking them.
You’ll get the most from varenicline as part of a planned quit attempt. Being motivated to stop makes a real difference, and your doctor or pharmacist can offer advice and support to help you succeed. You can also get free support from the NHS Better Health stop smoking service.
When you smoke, nicotine attaches to receptors in the brain and triggers the release of chemicals that create the pleasant, rewarding feeling smokers associate with a cigarette. Over time, this is what keeps the physical side of nicotine addiction going.
Varenicline works on those same receptors. It gives them a mild, steady stimulation, reducing cravings for nicotine and taking the edge off withdrawal when you stop. At the same time, it blocks nicotine from getting to the receptors, so if you do smoke while taking it, you get far less of the usual reward.
Varenicline tablets are suitable for adults who want to stop smoking. They’re not recommended for anyone under 18, as they haven’t been shown to work in this age group.
Don’t take varenicline if you:
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking varenicline if you:
Before you start, choose a “quit date”, also called your stop smoking date. This is usually in the second week of treatment, between day 8 and day 14. If you’re not ready to set a date within two weeks, you can pick one up to five weeks after starting. It helps to write your quit date on the pack as a reminder.
You begin on the lower strength tablet and build up gradually:
Try to take your tablets at about the same time each day. Swallow them whole with water. You can take them with or without food.
The usual course lasts 12 weeks. If you’ve stopped smoking by the end, your doctor may suggest a further 12 weeks to help you avoid slipping back into smoking. Keep taking varenicline for the full course your doctor recommends, even once the cravings have settled, as this helps increase your chances of quitting smoking.
Like all medicines, varenicline can cause side effects, though not everyone gets them.
Stopping smoking itself, with or without treatment, can also bring on symptoms such as mood changes, difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, a slower heart rate and an increased appetite or weight gain.
May affect more than 1 in 10 people:
May affect up to 1 in 10 people:
May affect up to 1 in 100 people:
May affect up to 1 in 1,000 people:
Stop taking varenicline and get medical help straight away if you notice:
If you notice any side effects, including any not listed here, tell your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects directly through the Yellow Card Scheme.
Active ingredient: varenicline (as tartrate), 0.5mg or 1mg per tablet
Other ingredients:
Varenicline doesn’t work right away. The dose is built up over your first 1 to 2 weeks, and most people set their quit date for the second week once the medicine has reached its full strength. From that point, it helps take the edge off cravings and withdrawal. Give it time and keep taking it for the full course, as stopping early makes it more likely you’ll go back to smoking.
For the first week or two, you’ll usually still be smoking, since your quit date is set for the second week of treatment. If you slip and have a cigarette after your quit date, don’t abandon the course. Most people find cigarettes far less enjoyable while taking varenicline, which can make it easier to stop for good.
You can order varenicline online from Click2Pharmacy. As it’s a prescription-only medicine, you’ll first complete a short online consultation. One of our licensed pharmacists will review your answers and, if varenicline is suitable, issue your prescription and send your treatment for fast, discreet delivery.
If you’ve had a missed dose, take the tablet as soon as you remember. If it’s within three to four hours of your next dose, skip the one you missed and carry on as normal. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet. Taking varenicline regularly at the same time each day gives you the best chance of quitting.
It’s often possible to try varenicline again if a previous attempt didn’t lead to stopping for good. Your doctor or pharmacist will review how you got on last time and decide whether another course is right for you. As before, motivation and support will improve your chances.
Varenicline isn’t classed as an addictive medicine. When your course ends, your doctor may gradually lower the dose rather than stopping all at once. A few people feel more irritable, notice a stronger urge to smoke, or have low mood or disturbed sleep for a short time afterwards, but this usually passes.
If you develop low mood, agitation, anxiety or any changes in behaviour that worry you or your family, or you have thoughts of harming yourself, stop taking varenicline and contact your doctor straight away. Stopping smoking can affect your mood on its own, but symptoms like these should always be checked by a professional.
Having a cigarette while on varenicline won’t harm you, but you’ll probably find it less enjoyable than usual, as the medicine reduces the reward you get from smoking. If you slip up after your quit date, don’t feel discouraged. Carry on with your course and keep going.
Varenicline needs a little time to build up in your body before it can properly ease cravings and withdrawal. That’s why you start taking it while you’re still smoking and set your quit date for the second week, usually between day 8 and day 14. By then the medicine is working at full dose, and you’re in a stronger position to stop.
Champix is a branded version of the same medicine. It contains the same active ingredient, varenicline, so it works in exactly the same way to help you quit smoking. Champix was withdrawn in the UK in 2021 over a manufacturing issue, and generic varenicline became the main option, but Champix has since returned to the market. Your prescriber will decide which version is right for you.
Varenicline is one of several smoking cessation options. Nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches, gum or lozenges, is a common choice and can be used on its own or, in some cases, alongside other support. Cytisine is another stop smoking tablet that works in a broadly similar way. Your doctor or pharmacist can talk you through what might suit you best.
