Bupropion is a pill you take to reduce your craving for tobacco. The way it does this is not entirely known. Bupropion does not contain nicotine and does not help you quit smoking in the same way that nicotine replacement therapy does. But, like other medicines, it decreases cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Doctors also prescribe Bupropion (under the brand name Zyban or Wellbutrin) to treat depression. But Bupropion’s ability to help people quit smoking is not related to its antidepressant action. It can help you stop smoking even if you do not have depression.

You begin taking Bupropion daily, 1 to 2 weeks before you quit smoking. This builds up the level of medicine in your body. You take Bupropion for 7 to 12 weeks after you stop using tobacco. You can take it for as long as 6 months to a year.

Ask your VA doctor about Bupropion – it has helped thousands of others quit smoking for life!