In the first week of the province’s new smoking cessation program, 7,107 people called 811 to place their nicotine replacement therapy order.
“It’s great to see such a phenomenal response in the first week to our smoking cessation program,” said health minister Michael de Jong. “Hopefully, by making the healthy choice the easier choice, it will translate into more and more British Columbians quitting smoking.”
Numbers released from the ministry reveal that 82 per cent of people chose the nicotine patches over the gum to help them quit smoking, and most opted to pick up their order at pharmacy.
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“Quitting smoking is not only good for your health and for the health of those around you, but it is also good for our health-care system as it will avoid the millions of dollars it costs to treat respiratory illnesses, heart disease and cancer,” said de Jong.
Eligible B.C. residents can receive a single continuous course of treatment lasting up to 12 consecutive weeks once every 12 months.
As part of the program varenicline (Champix) and bupropion (Zyban) are also covered by B.C. PharmaCare and are available with a prescription, however people must see their doctor for the prescription and be registered in a PharmaCare plan.
Smoking rates are about 17 per cent in Canada, with B.C. having the lowest smoking rate for the 12th year in a row at 14.3 per cent.
About 550,000 people in B.C. smoke according to the ministry.
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