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VICTORIA – The provincial government is providing nicotine patches and gum to British Columbians on income assistance who want to “butt out” through a $1.27-million pilot program called Quit Smoking Now!, Employment and Income Assistance Minister Claude Richmond announced today.
“This initiative is another milestone in government's strong commitment to lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness,” said Richmond. “It supports our Pacific Leadership Agenda, which states clearly that government must work to improve the health of our citizens.”
Premier Gordon Campbell recently announced that the government would be acting now to ban smoking on all public and private school property across B.C. by September 2007 and would phase out smoking in all indoor public spaces by 2008.
Quit Smoking Now!, offered through the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance, is a voluntary smoking cessation program available to income assistance clients beginning Jan. 22. The launch of the pilot coincides with National Non-Smoking Week.
“Giving up smoking is one of the best things our clients can do for their health and a great way to free up money for other living expenses,” said Richmond. “We want to make sure our clients have the best chance possible to quit for good. Through this pilot program we hope to confirm our belief that our clients will choose to quit smoking if we provide them with support.”
Clients who decide to sign up for the program will be provided with Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) – skin patches or gum – for three months, as well as counselling support from QuitNow, a free, 24-hours-a-day service operated by the BC Lung Association on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
Providing clients with NRTs and counselling on how to quit smoking also supports ActNow BC, an integrated, cross-government, partnership-based approach that helps British Columbians to make healthy lifestyle choices. A key pillar of this initiative is to reduce the incidence of tobacco use by 10 per cent by 2010. Currently, B.C. has the lowest rate of smoking in Canada, at 15 per cent, which is well below the Canadian average of 20 per cent.
“While we are pleased to have the lowest smoking rate in Canada, smoking still kills almost 5,600 people in British Columbia each year,” said Gordon Hogg, Minister of State for ActNow BC. “Giving support to vulnerable British Columbians in this manner is another tool in a comprehensive smoking cessation program.”
Through the program, approximately 30,000 clients will be eligible to receive either nicotine patches or gum. This will follow a two-step registration process. First, the client will contact QuitNow and speak with a professional health-care worker who will provide advice on the various NRTs available. Second, the client will sign-up for the project through their Employment and Assistance Office or third-party administrator.
“This is the time of year when many of the one in seven British Columbians who smoke will resolve to quit,” says Scott McDonald, executive director of the BC Lung Association. “While the ministry is giving its clients the supports to quit, the initial contact and counselling support provided through QuitNow will substantially increase their chances of success.”
The facts show smoking kills more people in British Columbia than all other drugs, motor vehicle collisions, murder, suicide, and HIV/AIDS combined.
QuitNow Services include QuitNow.ca, an internet based cessation program and QuitNow By Phone – an available toll-free line in B.C. at 1-877-455-2233 or TTY 1-888-445-5788 - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in 130 languages.
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contact: |
Communications Director Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance 250 387-6489 |
Director, QuitNow Services BC Lung Association 250 721-4268 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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