Nicotine Patch May Be More Helpful Than Bupropion for...

"Bupropion slow release did not improve smoking cessation over nicotine patch alone in teenagers, according to the results of a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. This is the first randomized trial to compare success rates of the nicotine patch with and without antidepressant medication in teenagers. These findings may suggest that adolescents do respond to smoking cessation therapy, albeit somewhat differently than do adults.

'We're encouraged because in our study the initial quit rates for kids treated with nicotine patches and skills training were similar to those seen in adults,' lead author Joel Killen, PhD, from the Stanford Prevention Research Center in California, says in a news release. 'Just as importantly, most of the kids in the study were able to substantially reduce their tobacco usage, which has not been seen in previous studies.'"