Reported side effects of bupropion include:

  • Dry mouth
  • Stuffy nose
  • Trouble sleeping and nightmares
  • Tiredness
  • Constipation
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • High blood pressure
  • Seizures
  • Feeling depressed, anxious, agitated, hostile, aggressive, overly excited or hyperactive, or confused; or having suicidal thoughts
  • If you are using bupropion, call your health care provider if you feel depressed or start thinking of suicide. Also be sure to ask what to expect while taking this drug, and what to do if you or others notice possible side effects.

Bupropion can cause drug interactions and shouldn’t be used with certain other drugs or supplements. Be sure your provider knows about everything you take, such as prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs, supplements, and any medicines you take on your own when you need them, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin. Also be sure to tell every provider you see that you’re taking bupropion.

Using bupropion along with NRT or varenicline for quitting smoking

There is some consensus that using bupropion along with NRT might increase the odds of quitting. Research on using both varenicline and bupropion at the same time is also being done.

Other prescription drugs used to help people quit tobacco

For those who can’t use either of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs to help them quit, or for those who haven’t been able to quit using them, other drugs have shown promise in studies. They’re recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for this kind of use, but have not been approved by the FDA for this purpose and so are used “off-label.” (See Off-label Drug Use for more on this.) These drugs are only available with a prescription and are not recommended for pregnant women, teens, or people who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes a day.

Nortriptyline

This is an older anti-depressant drug that helps reduce tobacco withdrawal symptoms. It has been found to increase chances of success in quitting smoking when compared to those taking no medicine. It’s typically started 10 to 28 days before a person stops smoking to allow it to reach a stable level in the body.

Some people have side effects like a fast heart rate, blurred vision, trouble urinating, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain or loss, and low blood pressure when they stand up. The drug can affect a person’s ability to drive or operate machinery, and certain drugs cannot be used along with it.

If you and your health care provider decide to use this drug, be sure your provider and pharmacist know exactly what other drugs you’re taking before you start this medicine. Also be sure you know how to take it and how to taper off it when you are ready to stop. The dose of nortriptyline must be slowly lowered, since the drug cannot be stopped suddenly without the risk of serious effects. People with heart disease should use this drug cautiously. Be sure to tell all your health care providers that you are taking this drug.

Clonidine

Clonidine is another older drug that has been shown to help people quit. It’s FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure. When used to quit smoking, it can be taken as a pill twice a day or worn as a skin patch that’s changed once a week.

If you’re planning to use this drug, be sure your health care provider and pharmacist know exactly what else you’re taking before you start taking it. The most common side effects of clonidine are constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and unusual tiredness or weakness. There are rarely more severe side effects, such as allergic reactions, a slow heart rate, and very high or very low blood pressure. Your health provider might want to watch your blood pressure while you are on this drug. The drug can affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.

You can start taking clonidine up to 3 days before you quit smoking, but it can also be started the day you quit. It shouldn’t be stopped suddenly. The dose must be lowered over a few days to prevent tremors, confusion, agitation, or a rapid increase in blood pressure.

Other drugs being studied to help people quit tobacco

A plant-based drug called cytisine has shown promise in other countries and is now being studied in the United States.

Naltrexone is a drug used to help those with alcohol and opioid abuse disorders. Studies are looking at ways to combine it with varenicline to help people quit smoking, especially people who smoke and are also heavy drinkers.

Also being tested are possible anti-smoking vaccines that are given as injections.

So far these new options seem to be safe, but their effect on smoking cessation has been 

Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.