Thursday, February 06, 2014
Perth District Health Unit
Free Nicotine Replacement Therapy to Help Stop Smoking
Smokers from across Ontario have the opportunity to enroll in the STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Program and receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) free of charge to help them in their attempt to quit smoking.
For many smokers the cost of nicotine replacement products can be a barrier to quitting. The STOP Program provides five weeks of free nicotine patches, a practical support for alleviation of nicotine withdrawal symptoms, which has been shown to be effective to help people quit smoking.
Those interested in participating in the STOP program may do so by attending a STOP workshop in Stratford on Thursday, February 20 in the evening. To see if you are eligible to participate, and to register for the workshop, call the Perth District Health Unit at 519-271-7600 ext 267 or toll-free at 1-877-271-7348 ext 267.
The STOP Program is conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care as part of its Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy.
In addition to providing nicotine patches, the STOP Program will offer educational material to encourage the program participants to make broader changes that can improve their overall health. Often smoking does not occur in isolation, but rather accompanies other risk factors for disease, such as poor nutrition and lack of physical activity.
CAMH 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.
Background: The STOP Program
Introduced in 2005 through a partnership between the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the former Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport, the STOP Program has already provided nicotine replacement therapy including nicotine gum and patches, as well as bupropion and varenicline, free of charge, along with counselling support to over 80,000 people from across Ontario.
Baseline questionnaires and follow-up surveys, spaced over six months post treatment will help the STOP Program researchers learn more about the long-term impact of providing nicotine replacement therapy and other smoking cessation aid free of charge to smokers across Ontario. To date, results for STOP participants have shown an improvement of at least two times the typical quit rates.
Media Contact:
Rebecca Hill
Communications Manager
Perth District Health Unit
519-271-7600 ext 279
rhill@pdhu.on.ca
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