14,000 Ontarians to Receive Free Medication to Quit Smoking

14,000 Ontarians to Receive Free Medication to Quit Smoking

For Immediate Release - January 12, 2006 (Toronto) - The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in partnership with the Ministry of Health Promotion and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare today announced a new study aimed at helping Ontarians quit smoking. In the first study of its kind in Canada, the STOP (Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients) Study is a program that will distribute nicotine replacement therapy, including nicotine gum or patches to a group of eligible smokers free of charge and monitor their effectiveness in the quitting process.

While smoking rates in Ontario have declined over the past twenty years, 20% of Ontarians continue to smoke. This means that over 2 million people may potentially 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 $1.7 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.  This way, we will be able to better treat people in the future."

While it has been shown that attempts to quit smoking are more successful when done with the help of a nicotine cessation aid, many people do not use this resource, partially due to cost. The study will distribute 14,000 nicotine replacement therapy aids free of charge to Ontario residents whose progress will be monitored periodically to track their effectiveness.

"Smoking kills over 16,000 Ontarians each year," said Minister of Health Promotion Jim Watson.  "Research such as the STOP Study could prove important to smokers who want to quit smoking, improve their own health, and protect others from the dangers of second-hand smoke."

Participants will also be given helpful information and resources, such as counselling, to help in the quitting process. Those interested in participating in the STOP Study may do so by calling 1 800-350-5305 starting Thursday January 12, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre and a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. 

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For more information or to schedule an interview with Dr. Peter Selby, please contact Michael Torres, Media Relations Coordinator, CAMH, at (416) 595-6015.

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