By JAYA NARAIN

Last updated at 09:28 18 April 2008

A smoker stabbed himself to death only weeks after beginning a course of drugs to help him quit his 20-a-day habit.

Omer Jama, 39, a television editor, had no history of mental illness.

Yet when his body was found, he had slashed both his wrists and plunged the knife into his thigh and stomach, an inquest was told.

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Omer Jama was found dead at his home two months after he was prescribed Champix

The drug he had been taking for two months, Champix, has been linked to depression and reports of suicide.

Yesterday the family of Mr Jama, from Bolton, called for more investigations into the safety of the drug after a coroner recorded an open verdict on him, saying it could not be proved that he knew what he was doing when he killed himself.

The inquest heard that Mr Jama, a video editor with Sky Sports, received a private prescription for the £164 course of treatment, which involved taking one tablet a day for a fortnight, then doubling the dose.

Mr Jama's wife of 12 years, Catherine, told the inquest in Bolton that the couple had recently begun a trial separation.

But they met regularly and he was his "usual self" and friends said he was happy in the days before his death.

A keen golfer, he was still "on a high" after winning a trophy. He had booked a holiday to Cuba with a friend days previously to celebrate his forthcoming 40th birthday.

And days before his death in October, he was pictured smiling and holding his newborn niece.

Champix has been linked to depression and suicide

"They just weren't the actions of a man who was contemplating suicide," said his brother Ali Jama, 41, who lives in London.

"He's got no history of depression and was never the sort of person you would see feeling sorry for himself."

The Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which has been monitoring side effects reported by Champix patients, said there had been four reports of suicide and five of attempted suicide since it was licensed in the UK in September.

Julie Evans, a forensic toxicologist, told the inquest: "There is a possibility he could have been influenced by the side effects of the drug."

Coroner Jennifer Leeming said she would register Mr Jama's death as an "adverse event" but was satisfied he inflicted the injuries on himself.

She said: "For me to register he took his own life I would have to be satisfied he did the act which led to his death and he knew what he was doing.

"On the evidence before me I cannot say that was the case."

Ali Jama said: "It is clear from the evidence of the toxicologist that Champix's influence could have played a part. I would like to see more investigation done."

Fears are growing over the safety of the so- called "wonder drug" which has been used by more than 200,000 smokers in the UK.

Last year, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use received 839 reports of adverse reactions to Champix.

Forty-six were linked to depression and 16 patients claimed to have suffered suicidal thoughts.

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The European Medicines Agency, the drug's licensers, issued guidance on Champix's active ingredient varenicline to doctors two months after Mr Jama's death.

It said "updated warnings" were needed to increase awareness of cases of suicidal thoughts.

The manufacturer, Pfizer, has insisted a direct link between Champix and psychiatric problems has not been officially established and that nicotine withdrawal can lead to mood swings and behavioural changes.

A spokesman said that patients attempting to give up smoking had reported depression, and on rare occasions suicidal thoughts. 'These symptoms have also been reported while quitting with varenicline.

"A relationship between varenicline and the reported symptoms hasn't been established, but in some reports a link couldn't be excluded."

The anti-smoking drug, Zyban, which is made by GlaxoSmithKline, has also been linked to a number of suicides.