The Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon is calling on the B.C. government and Liberal leadership candidates to support smokers who wish to quit by providing funding for nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) for those British Columbia smokers trying to quit.
Smoking cessation products help smokers quit. NRT, such as the nicotine patch and nicotine gum, combined with physician counselling have a proven record of treating tobacco addiction. Similar improvements in quitting success result from medications that help reduce cravings and minimize withdrawal effects.
Tobacco use remains the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in British Columbia, killing over 6,000 British Columbians each year.
British Columbia could become the third Canadian province to pay for smoking cessation products. Quebec was first; Saskatchewan the second (for medications only.)
The Canadian Cancer Society urges our provincial politicians to support smokers who wish to quit.
Phil Janzen, Board Director,
Canadian Cancer Society BC & Yukon
Patti Moore, Health Promotion Coordinator