Bupropion for smoking cessation in adolescents.

QUESTION: An adolescent who smokes regularly came to my clinic for help quitting. While I am aware that bupropion is a first-line medication for smoking cessation among adults, is it effective and safe for adolescents?

ANSWER: Most adolescent smokers in Canada would like to quit, but more than 90% of the attempts are unsuccessful. Bupropion appears to be more effective than other pharmacologic options in improving abstinence among adolescents who smoke in the short term; however, it is not approved by Health Canada for those younger than 18 years. Bupropion has not been associated with an increase in adverse events in smoking cessation trials. More research is needed on the long-term effectiveness and safety of bupropion in this population.