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.

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) 687-7033
	Montague Health Centre	407 MacIntyre Avenue, Montague, PE, C0A 1R0 Telephone: (902) 838-0830
QUEEN’S EAST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Polyclinic	199 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1L2 Telephone: (902) 620-3260
QUEEN’S WEST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Four Neighborhoods Health Centre	152 St. Peter’s Road, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 5P8 Telephone: (902) 569-7772
	Cornwall Medical Centre	401 Trans-Canada Highway, Cornwall, PE, C0A 1H0 Telephone: (902) 566-2117
	Central Queens Health Centre	4276 Hopedale Road, Hunter River, PE, C0A 1N0 Telephone: (902) 621-3050
	Gulf Shore Health Centre	7379 Cavendish Rd - Rte. 6, North Rustico, PE, C0A 1X0 Telephone: (902) 963-7835
EAST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Kensington Health Centre	55 Victoria Street, Kensington, PE, C0B 1M0 Telephone: (902) 836-0180
	Harbourside Health Centre	243 Heather Moyse Drive, Summerside, PE, C1N 5R1 Telephone: (902) 432-2600
	Evangeline Health Centre	48 Mill Road, Wellington, PE, C0B 2E0 Telephone: (902) 854-7259
WEST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Tyne Valley Health Centre	6905 Rte 12, Tyne Valley, PE, C0B 2C0 Telephone: (902) 831-5800
	O'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

 

 

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) 687-7033
	Montague Health Centre	407 MacIntyre Avenue, Montague, PE, C0A 1R0 Telephone: (902) 838-0830
QUEEN’S EAST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Polyclinic	199 Grafton Street, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1L2 Telephone: (902) 620-3260
QUEEN’S WEST PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Four Neighborhoods Health Centre	152 St. Peter’s Road, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 5P8 Telephone: (902) 569-7772
	Cornwall Medical Centre	401 Trans-Canada Highway, Cornwall, PE, C0A 1H0 Telephone: (902) 566-2117
	Central Queens Health Centre	4276 Hopedale Road, Hunter River, PE, C0A 1N0 Telephone: (902) 621-3050
	Gulf Shore Health Centre	7379 Cavendish Rd - Rte. 6, North Rustico, PE, C0A 1X0 Telephone: (902) 963-7835
EAST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Kensington Health Centre	55 Victoria Street, Kensington, PE, C0B 1M0 Telephone: (902) 836-0180
	Harbourside Health Centre	243 Heather Moyse Drive, Summerside, PE, C1N 5R1 Telephone: (902) 432-2600
	Evangeline Health Centre	48 Mill Road, Wellington, PE, C0B 2E0 Telephone: (902) 854-7259
WEST PRINCE PRIMARY CARE NETWORK	Tyne Valley Health Centre	6905 Rte 12, Tyne Valley, PE, C0B 2C0 Telephone: (902) 831-5800
	O'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