One-man crusade for quit-smoking warnings
Mr Fairweather will pound the Peninsula streets in a door-to-door petition campaign requiring health warnings to be placed on quit-smoking products.
Mr Fairweather said he discovered that a quit-smoking drug, marketed as Champix in Australia, caused neurological side effects and toxic caffeine blood levels in high-caffeine using smokers.
“I researched the product and found there had been deaths from heart attacks in the UK and the USA from this drug, connected with heavy caffeine or coffee drinking,’’ he said.
“I drink a lot of coffee and I asked my doctor about it, but she said there was no such issues with it.’’
Mr Fairweather, a heavy smoker since the age of 17, said he stopped taking Champix as soon as he discovered the research.
“Research showed there was a causal link between champix and suicidal thoughts and behaviour.
“I want to quit smoking not die.’’
He said the prescription-only drug, known as Chantix in the USA, was registered on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
“It’s not the cheap option and is medically approved, but there are no warnings about the side effects of use with caffeine.
“In early 2008, Pfizer updated the Chantix label in the U.S. to include a warning that patients using it to quit smoking with it should be observed for serious neuro-psychiatric symptoms, including changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior.
“But this warning is nowhere on the Australian packaging.’’
Although his wife and father-in-law reduced their smoking since taking Champix, Mr Fairweather said he would continue with his campaign.
“I’ll walk all the way to Canberra to get this changed if I have to,’’ he said.
“I want the Federal Health minister to withdraw the product or put out the warnings.
“I’m challenging all the doctors and pharmacists, initially on the Peninsula, to sign my petition to have the government force Pfizer to place the warnings on the packaging.’’
But Pfizer Australia said it had followed the law with its packaging, which only requires pharmacists to provide Consumer Medical Information sheets with prescriptions.
“People taking Champix will have access to a free online program from Pfizer that helps with the psychological and behavioural aspects of quitting by providing support and motivation, identifying smoking triggers, and helping to find alternative activities to smoking,’’ A Pfizer Australia representative said.
“In clinical trials about 3 in 10 people taking Champix experienced nausea and other adverse events found were headache, insomnia and abnormal dreams.’’
But the Pfizer Australia website did say that some changes in mood, insomnia, anger and anxiety could be found.
The company’s safety information stated that “there have been post marketing reports of depressed mood, agitation, changes in behaviour, suicide ideation and suicide in people taking Champix. The role of Champix in these reports is not known.’’
Australian Medical Association Queensland President Dr Chris Davis said the AMA was aware of reported adverse effects associated with the use of Champix and doctors were advised to monitor patients for any adverse effects.
“Every medication has risks and doctors must always balance these risks with the
possible benefits also,’’ he said.
“In the case of smoking we know the health risks are significant, and this needs to be kept in mind when prescribing medication to assist people in the cessation of smoking.’’
He said in the case of Champix, effects included behaviour and/or mood changes as a result of reports of psychiatric symptoms associated with the drug in the US and Europe.
“Combining Champix with nicotine replacement therapy has been known to cause an increase in nausea, headaches, dyspepsia, fatigue, dizziness and a small decrease in average systolic blood pressure,’’ he said.
Despite smoking rates in Queensland declining by 13 per cent between 2004-07, one in six Queenslanders aged 14 years and older still smoke daily, and smoking costs the Queensland economy $6.3 billion each year.
