Quit Smoking With Your Manitoba Pharmacist Program Support

Pharmacists Manitoba and the Government of Manitoba want to ensure you are aware of Quit Smoking With Your Manitoba Pharmacist, a program to help Manitobans who use cigarettes, running until March 31, 2025.

Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in Canada. An individual’s success rate in quitting tobacco increases in proportion to the amount of time members of their healthcare team spend supporting them in their efforts.

With Quit Smoking With Your Manitoba Pharmacist, participants receive at no cost to them:

1. A comprehensive initial appointment of up to 60 minutes in duration exploring their tobacco use history, tobacco cessation goals, health history, medication usage, and more. During this initial appointment, the pharmacist may prescribe appropriate pharmacotherapy where indicated and requested. This includes nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as nicotine patches, lozenges, and gum, as well as the prescription medication varenicline. The pharmacist will also provide counselling on behavioral strategies to address habits, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms and set a quit date.
2. Up to nine (9) follow-up appointments over the next year to see how well any medications are working, manage any cravings or withdrawal symptoms, and adjust non-medication strategies to help participants stay on track.
3. A $100 medication subsidy to be applied towards the costs of any medications participants may use.

Your support of this program by discussing tobacco use with your patients, employees, and union members and referring them to a participating pharmacy with their permission is encouraged.

If you are a health provider, you may use the attached Client Referral Form to directly refer patients to participating pharmacies.

If you are an employer or a union, we appreciate your support in building awareness of this program. You may direct those who may be interested to a participating pharmacy in your area.

For more information on the program, including Frequently Asked Questions for participants and a list of participating pharmacies in your area, see quitsmokingmb.ca.