Ontario is supporting youth aged 24 years and under to quit smoking by providing them with free counselling from a pharmacist and medication through OHIP+
More and more people are quitting smoking. Ontario's smoking rate fell to 16% in 2016, the third-lowest rate in Canada, but studies show youth who smoke become regular smokers by 18 years old.
Services and medications covered through OHIP+ to help youth quit include:
Support services and counselling by a pharmacist for up to one-year.
Prescription medication such as Champix and Zyban for youth ages 18 - 24 if they are participating in smoking-cessation counseling.
Nearly 13,000 people in Ontario still die each year as a result of smoking and smoking costs the health care system an estimated $2.2 billion in direct health care costs.By quitting smoking early, people are less likely to develop smoking-related illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.