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Free medication available for help to quit smoking
Wednesday, 1 October 2008 - 2:40pm
The study evaluates the success of various types of smoking cessation support for Ontarians, ranging from brief to intensive and everything in between.
While smoking rates in Ontario have declined over the past 20 years, 17 percent of Ontarians continue to smoke. This means 1.7 million people potentially may develop serious illness as a direct result of their dependence on tobacco.
Smoking is the largest preventable cause of disease in Ontario and represents a significant burden on Ontario’s health care system, totalling $1.6 billion every year.
The good news is that it is not too late to quit.
“If people are able to quit sooner, they may be able to prevent the onset of serious illnesses brought on by smoking,” said Dr. Peter Selby, clinical director of Addiction Programs, CAMH and principal investigator of the STOP study.
“This study will allow us to help people along in the process and monitor which quitting methods are most effective,” he noted. “This way, we will be able to better treat people in the future.”
While it’s been shown that attempts to quit smoking are more successful when done with the help of counselling and a nicotine replacement medication, many people do not use this resource, partially due to cost.
The study will distribute nicotine replacement therapy aids free of charge, along with brief cessation-related information, to Ontario residents whose progress will be monitored periodically to track their effectiveness.
“Smokers who are ready to quit smoking frequently need support, and we are ensuring that they have access to effective support to help them along the way,” said Health Promotion minister Margarett Best.
“That is why the McGuinty government has made unprecedented investments to improve access to smoking cessation resources for Ontarians who are ready to quit.”
“This will be the third time we have partnered to bring the STOP study with access to free NRT to smokers in our region,” noted Jennifer McKibbon, tobacco strategy manager with the Northwestern Health Unit.
“And we are pleased to be partnering with CAMH and the Ministry of Health Promotion in giving the people of Keewatin, Emo, and Atikokan a chance to quit smoking this time around,” she added.
Those interested in participating in the STOP study in Keewatin, Emo, and Atikokan may do so by calling 1-888-404-4231. Calls will be accepted up to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is Canada’s leading addiction and mental health teaching hospital.
Integrating clinical care, scientific research, education, policy development, and health promotion, CAMH transforms the lives of people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.
Press release
Ontarians who want to quit smoking have one more way to do it thanks to a study that will distribute free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and counselling support.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), in partnership with the Ministry of Health Promotion, is collaborating with the Northwestern Health Unit to roll out the Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) study—the first of its kind in Canada.
While smoking rates in Ontario have declined over the past 20 years, 17 percent of Ontarians continue to smoke. This means 1.7 million people potentially may develop serious illness as a direct result of their dependence on tobacco.
Smoking is the largest preventable cause of disease in Ontario and represents a significant burden on Ontario’s health care system, totalling $1.6 billion every year.
The good news is that it is not too late to quit.
“If people are able to quit sooner, they may be able to prevent the onset of serious illnesses brought on by smoking,” said Dr. Peter Selby, clinical director of Addiction Programs, CAMH and principal investigator of the STOP study.
“This study will allow us to help people along in the process and monitor which quitting methods are most effective,” he noted. “This way, we will be able to better treat people in the future.”
While it’s been shown that attempts to quit smoking are more successful when done with the help of counselling and a nicotine replacement medication, many people do not use this resource, partially due to cost.
The study will distribute nicotine replacement therapy aids free of charge, along with brief cessation-related information, to Ontario residents whose progress will be monitored periodically to track their effectiveness.
“Smokers who are ready to quit smoking frequently need support, and we are ensuring that they have access to effective support to help them along the way,” said Health Promotion minister Margarett Best.
“That is why the McGuinty government has made unprecedented investments to improve access to smoking cessation resources for Ontarians who are ready to quit.”
“This will be the third time we have partnered to bring the STOP study with access to free NRT to smokers in our region,” noted Jennifer McKibbon, tobacco strategy manager with the Northwestern Health Unit.
“And we are pleased to be partnering with CAMH and the Ministry of Health Promotion in giving the people of Keewatin, Emo, and Atikokan a chance to quit smoking this time around,” she added.
Those interested in participating in the STOP study in Keewatin, Emo, and Atikokan may do so by calling 1-888-404-4231. Calls will be accepted up to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is Canada’s leading addiction and mental health teaching hospital.
Integrating clinical care, scientific research, education, policy development, and health promotion, CAMH transforms the lives of people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.
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