Smoking Cessation Program

The PEI Smoking Cessation Program helps PEI residents who wish to stop smoking, vaping, or using other tobacco products by offering free counseling, covering 100% of the cost of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products (i.e., nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, spray, and inhaler) or specific smoking cessation prescription medications.

Eligible PEI residents can be covered for one complete course of the following two treatment options:

Option 1:  Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Products (patches, gum, lozenges, spray, 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, PEI residents can receive a single continuous course (6-18 weeks in a row) of one approved NRT product or smoking cessation medication.

For answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the Program Booklet (Appendix A).

Program Access: Getting Started

1. Make an appointment with a nurse at your nearest Primary Care Network office or call your local pharmacy to discuss how ready you are to quit smoking, vaping, or using other tobacco products and the supports available to you.

2. At your appointment, a healthcare provider will review the program with you and ask questions about how ready you are to quit. Together, you will decide how you can best be supported to quit.

3. Based on your medical history and past quit attempts, the provider may suggest that you try an NRT product or a prescription smoking cessation medication.

4. You will visit your local pharmacy to pick up your chosen NRT product or cessation medication.

Program Re-Enrollment

Quitting smoking often takes more than one try. That’s why you can participate in the PEI Smoking Cessation Program more than once. NRT or cessation medication is covered once per year, based on the date you enter the program. If you begin smoking again in the same year that you complete your treatment, you will need to wait until the following year to re‑enter the program.

In the meantime, you are encouraged to use other supports to prepare for your next quit attempt, as added support can improve your chances of quitting successfully. Other resources such as counselling and Smokers’ Helpline are available to help you prepare for your next quit attempt, should you need it.

Program Providers

Primary Care Network

PEI has five Primary Care Network offices across the province, staffed by teams of health care professionals. You can access the program through these offices even if you don’t have a family doctor, or if your doctor is not part of a network.

Primary Care Network	Health Centre	Address	Telephone
Kings Primary Care Network	Eastern King’s Health Centre	7 Green Street, Souris, PE, C0A 2B0	(902) 687‑7033
	Montague Health Centre	407 MacIntyre Avenue, Montague, PE, C0A 1R0	(902) 838‑0830
Queen’s East Primary Care Network	Polyclinic	199 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1L2	(902) 620‑3260
Queen’s West Primary Care Network	Four Neighbourhoods Health Centre	152 St. Peter’s Road, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 5P8	(902) 569‑7772
	Cornwall Medical Centre	401 Trans‑Canada Highway, Cornwall, PE, C0A 1H0	(902) 566‑2117
	Central Queens Health Centre	4276 Hopedale Road, Hunter River, PE, C0A 1N0	(902) 621‑3050
	Gulf Shore Health Centre	7379 Cavendish Rd (Rte. 6), North Rustico, PE, C0A 1X0	(902) 963‑7835
East Prince Primary Care Network	Kensington Health Centre	55 Victoria Street, Kensington, PE, C0B 1M0	(902) 836‑0180
	Harbourside Health Centre	243 Heather Moyse Drive, Summerside, PE, C1N 5R1	(902) 432‑2600
	Evangeline Health Centre	48 Mill Road, Wellington, PE, C0B 2E0	(902) 854‑7259
West Prince Primary Care Network	Tyne Valley Health Centre	6905 Route 12, Tyne Valley, PE, C0B 2C0	(902) 831‑5800
	O’Leary Health Centre	14 MacKinnon Drive, O’Leary, PE, C0B 1V0	(902) 859-3929
	Alberton Health Services	c/o Western Hospital, 148 Poplar Street, Alberton, PE, C0B 1B0	(902) 853‑0403