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Ontario Doctors Call on Province to Improve Access to Medication to Help Smokers Quit

GST should be cut from cessation medicines and they should be covered under the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan

Toronto, Jan 18, 2008 – In the lead up to National Non-Smoking Week, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) released a report today with new research about quitting smoking and the need to improve access to cessation medications to help people quit smoking. The OMA is calling on the provincial government to include cessation medication, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Plan and the federal government to cut the GST on these products. The report also highlights the need for hospitals to implement cessation programs to improve patient health during their stay.

“Many smokers need help quitting, either with medical advice or access to medicines that can improve their chances of success,” said Dr. Janice Willett, President of the OMA. “The health benefits associated with quitting are tremendous and doctors want to help their patients be as healthy as they can.”

The OMA report, entitled Rethinking Stop Smoking Medications: Treatment Myths and Medical Realities, debunks commonly held beliefs about tobacco and smoking cessation medications and makes recommendations for both the use of these products and their availability.

Some examples of the misconceptions about nicotine and nicotine replacement therapy:

Myth: Nicotine is the harmful substance in cigarettes.
The medical reality is that although nicotine is addictive, it is the other chemicals present in tobacco smoke that cause the most harm.

 

Myth: NRTs, such as nicotine gum or the patch, are hazardous for smokers.
The medical reality is that NRT is far safer than smoking. There is little or no addictive potential and the dangerous toxins in cigarette smoke are avoided.

 

Myth: Smokers under the age of 18 should not be given cessation medications.
The medical reality is that the nicotine patch and gum are much safer than smoking for this age group and should be considered for all smokers, including those under 18.

The report also debunks the myth that it is not cost effective for insurance plans to cover stop-smoking medications, and recommends that such medications should be covered under both private and public health insurance plans. The report specifically identifies the ODB Plan, which covers Ontarians on social assistance, who are the least able to afford the weekly cost of these medications, but would greatly benefit from their availability.

In a previous report, Investing in Tobacco Control: Good Health Policy, Good Fiscal Policy the OMA revealed that provincial health-care spending on disease directly caused by tobacco use exceeds $1 billion. Because of both the health and economic benefits to quitting smoking, Ontario doctors continue to advocate for policy changes that reduce tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke and are eager to help patients break the habit.

“Through clinical experience, we have found even better ways to use stop-smoking medications,” said Dr. Ted Boadway, OMA Health Policy Advisor. “We now need to focus on making these resources easily accessible to our patients who smoke, and offer them new hope for quitting.”

For a copy of the report or for more information please visit www.oma.org/health/tobacco/Myths.asp

For more information please call OMA Media Relations at (416) 340-2862 or toll free at 1-800-268-7215 ext. 2862.