Pfizer received approval from the FDA for its anti-smoking pill, Chantix. The drug had received priority review designation by the FDA and is the first new prescription medication approved for smoking cessation in nearly a decade. Addiction to nicotine occurs when nicotine reaches the brain within seconds after inhaling and binds to nicotinic receptors, activating the reward pathway in brain circuitry. This stimulates the pleasure center in the brain. The initial effects recede quickly and ...