Quit Smoking Medications

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Nicotine replacement therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy can double your chances of quitting smoking for good. You don't need a prescription since it is available over the counter. If you work, your employer's health plan may offer coverage. If you don't have coverage, you must pay for it yourself since there is no government coverage for nicotine replacement therapy.

Talk to your health-care provider about which nicotine replacement therapy might work best for you. The different kinds of nicotine replacement therapy include:

Patch
Gum
Inhaler
Lozenges
Mouth spray

There are a few programs, listed below, that offer free nicotine replacement therapy. Contact the program directly for up to date information.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health - Smoking for Ontario Patients - STOP Program

The STOP Study, part of The Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) Program, is a research project that looks at how to best deliver nicotine replacement therapy and counselling support to smokers across Ontario.

STOP Study for Family Health Teams and Community Health Centres

If you are a registered patient of a Family Health Team or a Community Health Centre, call to book an appointment. You can get up to 26 weeks of any kind of nicotine replacement therapy and counselling.

This program offers individual counselling and group programs to help you quit smoking. Individuals may be eligible to receive 10 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy patches as part of the STOP study. For more information about their free and confidential services, call 519-745-2585 ext. 232.

Region of Waterloo Public Health - Tobacco Cessation Programs

Region of Waterloo Public Health has partnered with The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to provide STOP on the Road workshops at various times throughout the year. Eligible participants will attend a three-hour workshop and will receive free nicotine replacement therapy patches. Interested smokers can:

Check the online STOP on the Road schedule or call the STOP Program at 416-535-8501 ext. 34455 to find out if there is a workshop coming up in Waterloo Region
Call the registration/screening phone number listed on the website to be screened over the phone

If you are not eligible to participate, contact Smokers' Helpline for smoking cessation counselling and support at 1-877-513-5333 or check Smokers' Helpline website.

Leave the Pack Behind

Leave the Pack Behind helps young adults, aged 18-29, get free nicotine replacement therapies through an online ordering system. A free, eight-week treatment course of nicotine replacement therapy patches or gum is offered to eligible young adults while supplies last.

Eligible smokers will receive their nicotine replacement therapy in the mail along with an instruction booklet on how to use the nicotine replacement therapy and various self-help quit resources. Orders can be placed at Leave the Pack Behind.

Other medications

Talk to your health-care provider to find out if you can use medication to help you to quit smoking. Cytisine is a natural
health product and does not require a prescription from a health care provider.

Both ZybanTM (Bupropion) and ChampixTM (Varenicline) require a prescription from one of the following health-care providers: physician, nurse practitioner, pharmacist or dentist.

Cytisine

Cytisine is an alkaloid that occurs naturally in several plants and works to help block receptors in the brain that bind with nicotine to help reduce cravings in smokers. You do not need a prescription to use Cytisine. Cravv^® is the only Cytisine natural health product approved by Health Canada and can be purchased at www.zpharm.ca and in select pharmacies across Canada.

Zyban TM (Bupropion)

Zyban TM is an anti-depressant prescription medication that also helps people with quitting smoking. ZybanTM helps smokers cope with cravings and withdrawal symptoms experienced when quitting smoking. For best results, ZybanTM should be used in combination with smoking cessation education and counselling. It can also be used with nicotine replacement therapy.

Champix TM (Varenicline)

Champix is a prescription medication designed to help people quit smoking. ChampixTM reduces the pleasure that people get from smoking and helps smokers cope with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. For best results ChampixTM should be used in combination with smoking cessation education and counselling.

Coverage for quit-smoking medications

Ontario Drug Benefit Program (ODBP) recipients

One 12-week course of either ChampixTM or ZybanTM per year/per patient is covered for Ontario Drug Benefit Program recipients. People covered by this program include:

Those 65 years of age and older
Residents of long-term care homes
Residents of Homes for Special Care
People receiving professional services under the Home Care program
Trillium Drug Program registrants
Clients who are receiving social assistance (i.e. Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program)

NOTE: Non-Ontario Drug Benefit Program smokers must pay for a ChampixTM or ZybanTM prescription on their own. There is no coverage provided unless it is through an employer extended health benefit plan.

Community pharmacists

Not all community pharmacies are participating in this program. Trained community pharmacists can prescribe and give out smoking cessation prescription medications and provide smoking cessation counselling for Ontario Drug Benefit Program recipients.

The program offers the enrolled patients a first consultation appointment and a number of follow-up counselling sessions over a one-year period.

For more information, go to the Pharmacy Smoking Cessation Program on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care website.

NOTE: Non-Ontario Drug Benefit Program smokers must pay for a ChampixTM or ZybanTM prescription on their own. There is no coverage provided, unless it is through an employer extended health benefit plan.