January 25, 2024 (Toronto) – To mark national Non-Smoking Week in Canada, CAMH is pleased to announce an $850,000 investment from the Ontario Ministry of Health to support the STOP tobacco and nicotine cessation support program.
This new funding will be directed to purchase additional nicotine replacement therapy products as well as new treatment pathways to provide timely access to effective treatment options and better assist individuals trying to quite smoking or vaping. Funding will also be used to improve access to evidence-based treatment among marginalized groups who face barriers to accessing treatment by expanding promotional efforts and establishing new partnerships with organizations serving these groups, including people without stable housing, LGBTQ2S+ communities, seniors, and youth.
“This additional funding from the Ministry will go a long way to support our mission of reducing the harms associated with tobacco and nicotine dependence that continue to plague over 1 million Ontarians,” said Laurie Zawertailo, Senior Scientist and Co- Lead of the STOP Program at CAMH. “Quitting smoking is the single most important thing someone can do to improve his or her long-term health and prevent chronic disease”
STOP will use the additional funding to design more evidence-based, multi-media resources focussed on smoking and vaping cessation for patients and a program that can bolster motivation to quit, as well as offer capacity-building opportunities for providers across Ontario to remain at the forefront of best treatment practices for vaping cessation.
“This National Non-Smoking Week, our government is proud to support CAMH’s STOP Program to ensure more Ontarians can conveniently connect to the treatment and resources they need to quit smoking. This investment will build on this impactful work that has already assisted nearly 400,000 people who want to quit, helping even more Ontarians live a healthier life.”– Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.
STOP is making a difference in the lives of Ontarians and helping people make positive changes to their health. By continuing to deliver innovative and accessible treatment for tobacco use, the program is also reducing the burden on the healthcare system.
About STOP
The Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) Program, situated within the INTREPID Lab at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s largest tobacco and nicotine use treatment program, which provides free, evidence-based treatment to people across the province who want to quit using commercial tobacco and nicotine products. Funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Health, STOP has helped nearly 400,000 people in Ontario attempt to quit since 2005 and has partnered with over 330 healthcare agencies across the province to deliver accessible smoking cessation programming.
“I'm thrilled for the free resources. They helped me quit both smoking and vaping,” said one STOP on the Net participant. “I am so happy because as a diabetic, not smoking will help me from heart problems and stroke so I can live long enough to see my family grow.”
To join STOP today, talk to your healthcare provider to see if they are providing the program. You can also visit www.stoponthenet.com to see if you are eligible to receive a free 10-week kit of NRT mailed directly to your home.
About INTREPID Lab
Situated within the Acute Care Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, INTREPID Lab is a leading hub for tobacco and vaping addiction treatment, research, and education. At INTREPID Lab, our mission is to help create a future where Canadians no longer die from smoking. We are keen to leverage our 20+ years of research and implementation in tobacco addiction treatment to make smoking and vaping cessation treatment economically feasible and accessible across Canada.
About CAMH
CAMH is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit camh.ca or follow @CAMHnews on X.
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Media Contact:
CAMH Media Relations
media@camh.ca