Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Ontario Pharmacists’ Association announce new phase of the STOP Study – offering 5,000 Ontarians free medication to quit smoking

April 5, 2007 (TORONTO) – The Ontario Pharmacists’ Association (OPA), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Ministry of Health Promotion today announced they will begin the pharmacy phase of the highly successful Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) Study. Up to 5,000 Ontarians will now be able to receive five weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) from their local participating pharmacy.

Today at an event held at the OPA offices in Toronto, it was announced that 55 pharmacists in 43 locations province-wide are confirmed to participate in this phase of the STOP Study. “Pharmacists are the most accessible members of a health care team, so Ontarians will now be able to access free NRT close to home,” said Sherrie Hertz, Director of Pharmacy Programs, OPA. “The negative health effects of smoking are preventable and as front-line health care providers, we hope to help lower the estimated 16,000 tobacco-related deaths that occur in Ontario each year.”

The first phase of the STOP Study was introduced in January 2006 and was the first of its kind in Canada. With the help of NRT, at least 12 per cent of participants – or 1,600 Ontarians – were able to quit smoking. “The results from the mass distribution phase were outstanding,” said Dr. Peter Selby, Clinical Director of Addiction Programs, CAMH and Principal Investigator of the STOP Study. “The pharmacy phase will give more people access to both NRT and pharmacists’ professional services, which will contribute the increase in quit rates.”

The Ministry of Health Promotion has made finding effective smoking cessation strategies a priority and the ministry's support for this new phase shows the government's on-going commitment to the health of Ontarians.

“Helping smokers quit is an essential part of the McGuinty government’s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy,” said Minister of Health Promotion Jim Watson. “The success of the first phase of the STOP Study was a great accomplishment and we are proud to work with exceptional partners like CAMH and the OPA to help even more people across Ontario.”

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is one of the leading addiction and mental health organizations in the world and Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital. CAMH is a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, and is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. CAMH combines clinical care, research, policy, education and health promotion to transform the lives of people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.

The Ontario Pharmacists’ Association is the professional advocacy association representing the views and interests of over 10,000 practicing pharmacists and pharmacists-in-training, in Canada’s largest province.

The Ministry of Health Promotion was established in June 2005 to improve and deliver programs that contribute to healthy living and wellness in this province. Key priorities include Ontario’s smoke-free strategy, healthy eating, active living, sport and recreation, injury prevention and mental health promotion.

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For more information, please contact:

Michael Torres, Media Relations, CAMH, (416) 595-6015

Mary-Anne Cedrone, Manager of Communications, OPA, 416-441-0788 ext.4266

Adam Grachnik, Minister Watson’s Office, 416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg, Ministry of Health Promotion, 416-326-4833