The Lung Association of Nova Scotia hopes their newest smoking cessation program will help remove barriers to quitting.
Through the program, Quit NS, the Lung Association will mail participants four weeks worth of free nicotine replacement therapies, such as gums and lozenges.
Manager of Health Initiatives for the Lung Association, Brett Hopkins, says there’s been a lot of interest already.
“We only launched on Tuesday — to coincide with national non-smoking week — and we’ve already seen over 100 enrolments and I’ve been getting many calls of people interested, wanting to refer their friends and families,” Hopkins said in an interview.
The cost of nicotine replacements and a lack of supportive programs to quit smoking in smaller towns can make quitting tough, Hopkins said.
“Many Nova Scotians lack access to primary care. So the fact that this is online and universal, that anyone in Nova Scotia with a mailing address can access this, I think that’s probably the future of smoking cessation and that’s what [the Lung Association is] trying to advocate for.”
If the program is successful, Hopkins hopes they can work with the provincial government to make it a standard treatment option.
There are approximately 300 spots still open; anyone across the province can sign up online or by calling 902-443-8141.
