1. While the results are encouraging, Klesges noted, smokers should not get caught up in the media hype likely to surround this new drug and think that it represents any easy cure for their problem.

2. Liberal Democrat spokesman for children Annette Brooke said: ‘Parents will be eager that questions surrounding the safety of drugs like Ritalin are answered as soon as possible. ‘The Government owes it to the thousands of concerned parents to be honest about the side–effects of these behaviour–altering drugs. ‘More and more children are being prescribed drugs like Ritalin, but we must make sure parents are aware of all the available treatments. ‘More GPs should be offering nutritional counselling and behavioural therapy before considering prescribing drugs to these young children.‘ Dr Sami Tamimi, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, said: ‘This is a concerning trend which I call the McDonaldisation of childhood mental health. ‘It is the search for an easy cure that fits in with our fast lifestyles and gives us a quick answer.