Free Program Being Offered to Help Individuals Quit Smoking

September 25, 2023 - The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR District Health Unit) is urging residents to sign up for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients on the Net program (STOP on the Net program) if they would like help to quit smoking.

STOP on the Net is an initiative of the Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) Program funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health. The program offers eligible participants 10 weeks of free nicotine patches and their choice of gum or lozenges, delivered directly to their address. Participants can also engage in follow-up surveys to assess their progress and receive additional quit-smoking resources and self-help support.

"Nicotine patches and gum and/or lozenges can greatly assist with quitting smoking, but some people may not be able to afford them,” said Karen Taylor, Public Health Nurse, with the HKPR District Health Unit. “The STOP on the Net program enables residents to receive these supplies free of charge, which has helped many people over the years successfully quit their tobacco addiction." 

The program launched in October 2020 and since then approximately 1,154 residents in the County of Haliburton, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County enrolled in the STOP on the Net program. Of people completing follow-up surveys, 113 of 354 (respondents) (31.9%) were not smoking at 10 weeks and 103 of 305 (33.8%) were not smoking at 6 months.

Eligibility Requirements
To participate in CAMH’s STOP on the Net program you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older,
• Be willing to attempt quitting smoking within 30 days of enrollment,
• Be smoking tobacco cigarettes (this program is not offered for people who only use e-cigarettes),
• Have a valid and unique email address,
• Live within Ontario; and
• Complete a survey to determine eligibility.

What will you receive if you are eligible?

• Free quit smoking medication for 10 weeks of treatment mailed within two weeks of enrollment.
• Enrollment is limited to one (1) per person and four (4) per household within a 12-month period.

How to Participate
Visit STOP on the Net’s (www.stoponthenet.ca) website to sign up. For individuals without internet access, consider using a friend's device or a public computer at your local library. If appropriate, please contact your Family Health Team, Community Health Center, or pharmacist, for additional assistance. 

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