HEALTHY LIVING � According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the two major preventable causes of death in this country are smoking and obesity. So what if there was a "super pill" that could fight both? Sounds too good to be true?
Researchers say it may not be that far away.
For years, used car salesman Peter Vanooyen tried to kick the habit. Nothing worked. So when he saw an ad asking people to test a new drug to stop smoking, he decided to try it.
He is now smoke-free thanks to the pill Rimonabant. Researchers say the pill helps smokers quit the habit, with few negative side effects and it has one positive side effect � patients lose weight.
Doctor Elbert Glover says the pill blocks the signals to the brain that cause cravings for nicotine. It also eliminates hunger pangs. But, doctor Glover points out that it doesn't stop those urges completely.
After kicking his smoking habit and losing ten pounds, Peter says he has ever felt better.
The results of two Rimonabant studies were released this spring. One trial looks at weight loss, the other at smoking. Results showed: people lost an average of twenty pounds a year and doubled smoker's chances of kicking the habit.
Experts say the "super pill" may be available within the next two years.