Smoking Cessation Program
WHAT IS THE PEI SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM?
The PEI Smoking Cessation Program helps PEI residents who wish to stop smoking or using other tobacco products by covering 100% of the cost of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products (i.e., nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, and inhaler) and specific smoking cessation prescription medications.
WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP ME QUIT SMOKING?
Eligible PEI residents can be covered for one complete course (minimum 6 weeks in a row) of the following two treatment options:
Option 1: Non-Prescription Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Products (patches, gum, lozenges, or inhaler)
Option 2: Prescription smoking cessation medication. The program covers two smoking cessation medications: bupropion (brand name Zyban®) or varenicline (brand name Champix®).
Once per year, eligible PEI residents can receive a single continuous course of one NRT product or smoking cessation medication.
- Program Access
-
1. Island residents can self-refer to the program, which is accessible through Primary Care Networks across the Island.
2. Make an appointment with a nurse at your nearest Primary Care Network office to discuss how ready you are to quit smoking and the supports available to you.
3. At your appointment, a nurse will go over the program intake form with you. The intake asks questions about how ready you are to quit smoking and your tobacco use. The intake also lays out a Cessation Action Plan, which describes the recommended treatment to help you quit.
4. The nurse will review the guidelines of the PEI Smoking Cessation Program with you; both you and the nurse will sign the intake form.
5. You will take the Cessation Action Plan (and a prescription* if you choose Treatment Option 2) to your local pharmacy to pick up your products.
* Make an appointment with your primary care provider (i.e., family doctor or nurse practitioner) to request a prescription for a smoking cessation medication. If you do not have a primary care provider, discuss your options for getting a prescription with the nurse.
If you have chosen Treatment Option 1 (NRT) you should bring your Cessation Action Plan with you to the Pharmacy.
If you have chosen Treatment Option 2 (prescription medication), you must bring your Cessation Action Plan along with a prescription from your primary care provider (i.e., family doctor or nurse practitioner).
When you fill your prescription or pick up your NRT at the pharmacy for the first time, you will be given a 14-day supply. You must return to the pharmacy near the end of your second week of treatment to see the pharmacist; at that time, you will receive your next refill (28-day supply). Following that visit, you will continue to visit the pharmacy to receive your supply to finish your treatment.
*The number of weeks of treatment you are eligible for varies; weeks of treatment are dependent on your frequency of tobacco use.
- Program Re-Enrollment
-
It often takes more than one try to stop smoking. That is why you can take part in the PEI Smoking Cessation Program more than once. However, you can only take part in the program once per year (from the date you entered the program).
The PEI Smoking Cessation Program covers a single continuous course (minimum 6 weeks in a row) of NRT or prescription medication. If the PEI Smoking Cessation Program already covered any treatment for you this year (e.g., you used a NRT product for a few weeks and then began smoking again), you are not eligible for more coverage until a year from the date you entered the program.
If you start smoking again in the same year you complete your treatment, you have to wait until the following year to enter the program again. However, you are encouraged to seek support to get ready for your next quit attempt; this will increase your chances of quitting successfully in the future.
- Primary Care Networks
- There are five Primary Care Networks with offices across PEI. Each network has a team of health care professionals (e.g., family doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, diabetes educators, etc.).If you don’t have a family doctor – or your family doctor is not part of a Network – you are still able to access support at these offices for quitting smoking.
KING’S PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Eastern King’s Health Centre 7 Green Street, Souris, PE, C0A 2B0
Telephone: (902) 687-7033Montague Health Centre 407 MacIntyre Avenue, Montague, PE, C0A 1R0
Telephone: (902) 838-0830QUEEN’S EAST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Polyclinic 199 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1L2
Telephone: (902) 620-3260QUEEN’S WEST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Four Neighborhoods Health Centre 152 St. Peter’s Road, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 5P8
Telephone: (902) 569-7772Cornwall Medical Centre 401 Trans-Canada Highway, Cornwall, PE, C0A 1H0
Telephone: (902) 566-2117Central Queens Health Centre 4276 Hopedale Road, Hunter River, PE, C0A 1N0
Telephone: (902) 621-3050Gulf Shore Health Centre 7379 Cavendish Rd - Rte. 6, North Rustico, PE, C0A 1X0
Telephone: (902) 963-7835EAST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Kensington Health Centre 55 Victoria Street, Kensington, PE, C0B 1M0
Telephone: (902) 836-0180Harbourside Health Centre 243 Heather Moyse Drive, Summerside, PE, C1N 5R1
Telephone: (902) 432-2600Evangeline Health Centre 48 Mill Road, Wellington, PE, C0B 2E0
Telephone: (902) 854-7259WEST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Tyne Valley Health Centre 6905 Rte 12, Tyne Valley, PE, C0B 2C0
Telephone: (902) 831-5800O'Leary Health Centre 14 MacKinnon Drive, O’Leary, PE, C0B 1V0 Alberton Health Services c/o Western Hospital, 148 Poplar Street, Alberton, PE, C0B 1B0
Telephone: (902) 853-04031. Island residents can self-refer to the program, which is accessible through Primary Care Networks across the Island.
2. Make an appointment with a nurse at your nearest Primary Care Network office to discuss how ready you are to quit smoking and the supports available to you.
3. At your appointment, a nurse will go over the program intake form with you. The intake asks questions about how ready you are to quit smoking and your tobacco use. The intake also lays out a Cessation Action Plan, which describes the recommended treatment to help you quit.
4. The nurse will review the guidelines of the PEI Smoking Cessation Program with you; both you and the nurse will sign the intake form.
5. You will take the Cessation Action Plan (and a prescription* if you choose Treatment Option 2) to your local pharmacy to pick up your products.
* Make an appointment with your primary care provider (i.e., family doctor or nurse practitioner) to request a prescription for a smoking cessation medication. If you do not have a primary care provider, discuss your options for getting a prescription with the nurse.
If you have chosen Treatment Option 1 (NRT) you should bring your Cessation Action Plan with you to the Pharmacy.
If you have chosen Treatment Option 2 (prescription medication), you must bring your Cessation Action Plan along with a prescription from your primary care provider (i.e., family doctor or nurse practitioner).
When you fill your prescription or pick up your NRT at the pharmacy for the first time, you will be given a 14-day supply. You must return to the pharmacy near the end of your second week of treatment to see the pharmacist; at that time, you will receive your next refill (28-day supply). Following that visit, you will continue to visit the pharmacy to receive your supply to finish your treatment.
*The number of weeks of treatment you are eligible for varies; weeks of treatment are dependent on your frequency of tobacco use.
It often takes more than one try to stop smoking. That is why you can take part in the PEI Smoking Cessation Program more than once. However, you can only take part in the program once per year (from the date you entered the program).
The PEI Smoking Cessation Program covers a single continuous course (minimum 6 weeks in a row) of NRT or prescription medication. If the PEI Smoking Cessation Program already covered any treatment for you this year (e.g., you used a NRT product for a few weeks and then began smoking again), you are not eligible for more coverage until a year from the date you entered the program.
If you start smoking again in the same year you complete your treatment, you have to wait until the following year to enter the program again. However, you are encouraged to seek support to get ready for your next quit attempt; this will increase your chances of quitting successfully in the future.
There are five Primary Care Networks with offices across PEI. Each network has a team of health care professionals (e.g., family doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, diabetes educators, etc.).If you don’t have a family doctor – or your family doctor is not part of a Network – you are still able to access support at these offices for quitting smoking.
KING’S PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Eastern King’s Health Centre 7 Green Street, Souris, PE, C0A 2B0
Telephone: (902) 687-7033Montague Health Centre 407 MacIntyre Avenue, Montague, PE, C0A 1R0
Telephone: (902) 838-0830QUEEN’S EAST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Polyclinic 199 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1L2
Telephone: (902) 620-3260QUEEN’S WEST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Four Neighborhoods Health Centre 152 St. Peter’s Road, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 5P8
Telephone: (902) 569-7772Cornwall Medical Centre 401 Trans-Canada Highway, Cornwall, PE, C0A 1H0
Telephone: (902) 566-2117Central Queens Health Centre 4276 Hopedale Road, Hunter River, PE, C0A 1N0
Telephone: (902) 621-3050Gulf Shore Health Centre 7379 Cavendish Rd - Rte. 6, North Rustico, PE, C0A 1X0
Telephone: (902) 963-7835EAST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Kensington Health Centre 55 Victoria Street, Kensington, PE, C0B 1M0
Telephone: (902) 836-0180Harbourside Health Centre 243 Heather Moyse Drive, Summerside, PE, C1N 5R1
Telephone: (902) 432-2600Evangeline Health Centre 48 Mill Road, Wellington, PE, C0B 2E0
Telephone: (902) 854-7259WEST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK Tyne Valley Health Centre 6905 Rte 12, Tyne Valley, PE, C0B 2C0
Telephone: (902) 831-5800O'Leary Health Centre 14 MacKinnon Drive, O’Leary, PE, C0B 1V0 Alberton Health Services c/o Western Hospital, 148 Poplar Street, Alberton, PE, C0B 1B0
Telephone: (902) 853-0403