Canada gets serious about smoking

Health authorities in Ontario have announced a new study aimed at helping Ontarians quit smoking.

In the first study of its kind in Canada, the Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients, (STOP) program will hand out nicotine replacement therapy, including nicotine gum or patches to a group of eligible smokers free of charge and monitor their effectiveness in the process.

This will give 14,000 Ontarians a chance to quit smoking.

The study is funded by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in partnership with the Ministry of Health Promotion and drug company Pfizer.

Although smoking rates in Ontario have declined over the past twenty years, 20% of Ontarians still continue to smoke.

In real terms this means that more than 2 million people may potentially develop serious illness as a direct result of their dependence on tobacco.

As in many other countries, smoking remains the largest preventable cause of disease in Canada and represents a significant burden on health care systems.

Ontario estimates a total of $1.7 billion every year is spent on smoking related illness.

According to Dr. Peter Selby, clinical director of addiction programs, CAMH and principal Investigator of the STOP study, the good news is that it is never too late to quit.

He says if people are able to quit sooner, they may be able to prevent the onset of serious illnesses brought on by smoking.

He believes the study will demonstrate which quitting methods are the most effective and enhance future treatment.

Previous studies have shown that attempts to quit smoking are more successful when done with the help of a nicotine cessation aid, but many people do not use this resource, possibly due to cost.

Jim Watson the Minister of Health Promotion, says smoking kills over 16,000 Ontarians each year, and 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.

It seems participants will also be given helpful information and resources, such as counseling, to help in the quitting process.

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.