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March 31, 2008, 10:41 am
Flag as Inappropriate gbyrd  

If you are trying to quit smoking, you may want to think twice before using prescription helpers such as Chantix. I have heard it has some serious psychiatric side effects. Check out this story.

Federal prosecutors are seeking to drop charges against a California man accused of disrupting a Thanksgiving Day flight that was forced to make an emergency landing in Fargo.

The government said a psychiatric examination of Andrew James Smith, 25, shows he was suffering from a psychotic disorder caused by the smoking cessation drug Chantix. He was prescribed the drug in the weeks before the flight, prosecutors said.

Smith has no criminal record or psychiatric history, U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley said Tuesday.

"We concluded that this (dropping the charge) was the just thing to do," Wrigley said.

U.S. District Judge Rodney Webb has been asked to drop the charge against Smith. He has not indicated when he would rule.

Smith's public defender, who was not available for comment, earlier filed a motion to use insanity as a defense.

Smith, of Los Molinos, Calif., is charged with interfering with an airplane flight crew. Authorities said he seemed nervous and emotional before charging the cockpit.

The flight from Washington, D.C., to Sacramento, Calif., landed in Fargo after the pilot declared an emergency.

The federal Food and Drug Administration issued a public advisory on Feb. 1, warning about a possible connection between Chantix and serious psychiatric problems. The FDA said it had received reports of 37 suicides and more than 400 reports of suicidal behavior in connection with the drug.

More

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_8696699

I'm having some really bad thoughts about this Chantix drug. It seems like there might be much more to it than meets the eye and more study is needed on it.