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

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.

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

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.

Speaking the at NHS Annual Conference and Exhibition in Liverpool, Ms Pritchard will say: “This simple, daily pill could be a game changer for people who want to quit smoking an