online pharmacy
Takes less than 2 minutes
Reviewed by UK doctors
Buy Cytisine tablets online in the UK
How to order Cytisine stop smoking tablets in the UK
- Complete our medical consultation.
- Select a quantity to add to your basket before completing checkout.
- One of our UK-registered doctors will review your order and prescribe Cytisine if safe and appropriate. Occasionally we need extra information and will contact you via our confidential message centre.
- Your order will be packaged and posted from our pharmacy via our tracked delivery service.
Is Cytisine right for me?
Cytisine might be right for you if you want to stop smoking and stop for good. The course of treatment is 25 days, which is one box of Cytisine tablets.
You must also not use any other Nicotine product while taking Cytisine, like vapes or Nicotine gum.
Feeling nervous about stopping smoking? Use the support of professionals, other people who have been through it and effective medicines together for the greatest chance of success and to keep you feeling good about your decision even when it gets tough.
Download the NHS Stop Smoking app to get daily support, track your progress and see how much money you’re saving (here on Apple App Store or here on Google Play).
For even more support, contact your local stop smoking service. Stop Smoking in England, Help Me Quit in Wales, NHS Inform in Scotland or Quit Kit in Northern Ireland.
What is Cytisine?
Cytisine is a chemical found in certain plants that is similar to Nicotine. It is used to help people quit smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
While it works well to help people quit smoking, scientists are still studying exactly how it does this and how well it works compared to other ways to quit smoking.
Who should NOT take Cytisine?
You should not take Cytisine stop smoking tablets if;
- You are under 18
- You are over 65
- You have certain kidney problems
- You have certain liver problems
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have an allergy to Cytisine or any of the medicine’s other ingredients
- You have unstable angina (chest pain due to reduced blood supply to the heart)
- You have recently had a heart attack
- You have recently had a stroke
- You have a history of heart arrhythmias (irregular or unusual heart rhythm)
- You are on certain other medicines
If any of the above applies to you, please contact us or let us know in your medical consultation so we can help you decide whether Cytisine might be right for you.
We will never recommend a treatment that is unsafe for you to use.
If you are a female using a hormonal contraceptive like the pill, you should use a barrier method like condoms as well during the 25 days of treatment. This is because it is unknown whether Cytisine will affect how the pill works.
How Cytisine works
Cytisine works in a similar way to Varenicline (Champix), reducing urges to smoke by attaching to some of the same receptors in the brain as Nicotine.
Its common side effects (digestive symptoms and disturbed sleep) are similar to those of Varenicline but less common.
Using Cytisine reduces smoking cravings and withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, trouble concentrating, irritability and trouble sleeping.
Cytisine Dosage
The way to take Cytisine is more complicated than most other medicines, with the number of tablets you take different on different days.
We recommend you print this dose tracker from the National Centre for Smoking Cessation to help keep track of your doses.
| Days of treatment | Recommended dosing | Maximum number of tablets per day |
| From the 1st to the 3rd day | 1 tablet every 2 hours | 6 tablets |
| From the 4th to the 12th day | 1 tablet every 2.5 hours | 5 tablets |
| From the 13th to the 16th day | 1 tablet every 3 hours | 4 tablets |
| From the 17th to the 20th day | 1 tablet every 5 hours | 3 tablets |
| From the 21st to the 25th day | 1-2 tablets a day | 1 or 2 tablets |
You should stop smoking or using any other Nicotine products like vapes, patches or gum by day 5 at the latest. This means that you can also stop on days 1, 2, 3, or 4 if that suits you.
Continuing to smoke or use Nicotine products after day 5 will likely cause extra unwanted side effects and could possibly make you very unwell.
How to take Cytisine
Cytisine stop smoking tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. This can be with or without food. Never take a double dose of Cytisine to make up for a missed one. Just continue with your next tablet as normal.
Cytisine Side Effects
There is always a risk of side effects with any medication. Some are more common than others, and they often reduce with regular use of the medicine.
If you experience one of these side effects, you don’t have to stop the treatment. If the side effects stop you from doing normal activities or do not get better, you should report them to us or your GP.
Very common Cytisine side effects, affecting more than 1 in every 10 people, include;
- An increase in appetite (feeling hungrier than usual)
- Dry mouth
- Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- Indigestion, diarrhoea or constipation
- Feeling tired quickly
- Changes in sleep - not sleeping (insomnia), vivid dreams or nightmares, or feeling very sleepy
- Headaches
- Changes in mood or feeling irritable
- Muscle aches
- Skin rash
For a full list of side effects, read the patient information leaflet.
