Can varenicline be used to increase motivation and self-efficacy?
The relevance of the proposed antagonist effects of varenicline may be particularly pertinent to smokers with no interest in trying to quit, or who do not believe they are able to quit due to previously failed attempts. Reducing the rewarding effects of smoking may result in a reduced desire to continue smoking, or a desire to smoke less. Consequently, the dual mechanism of varenicline might mean that administering varenicline to such a group of ambivalent smokers could result in an increased motivation to cut down, or stop altogether due to its potential antagonist effects. Smokers with low, or no, motivation to stop smoking in the near future represent the majority of smokers (Wewers et al 2003). Therefore, if using varenicline can successfully motivate smokers to quit, the number of smokers who can benefit from varenicline may be substantially increased.
