Addiction Services

Tobacco

Going Tobacco-Free

Choosing to become tobacco-free is one of the best decisions you can make. But for some people, getting there is hard. You may find that using a combination of treatment approaches increases your success in becoming and staying tobacco-free.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

The two best-known forms of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are the patch and gum. These medications replace some of the nicotine you have been getting from tobacco, so they help relieve physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and lessen your urge to use tobacco. This will help you feel more comfortable and in control, so you can concentrate on changing your thoughts and behaviours. This is the key to becoming and staying tobacco-free.

NRT medications do not have the same addictive properties as tobacco products and are available without a prescription. They also do not contain the 4,000 chemical compounds found in tobacco smoke, so they are much safer to use than any tobacco product.

Some forms of medication, including NRT, may be provided to you at low or no cost when you participate in an Addiction Services program. Call the Addiction Services office nearest you to find out more.

Other prescription medications are available that contain no nicotine and may be helpful to you in the stopping process. Talk with your healthcare provider to find out more.

Group Programs

Research shows that group support combined with medications can quadruple your success compared with stopping on your own.

Addiction Services provides group programs across the province led by tobacco-treatment specialists. In your group, you'll meet other participants who are going through the exact same challenges as you. This combination of peer support, in which all participants can share their feelings, fears, successes and tips, along with the supportive environment provided by the tobacco-treatment specialist, creates a unique opportunity for you to become tobacco-free.

Call the Addiction Services office nearest you to register. All group programs are free.

Smokers' Helpline

The Canadian Cancer Society's Smokers' Helpline is an interactive, web-based service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week offering tips, tools, and support to help with stopping smoking or other tobacco use.