Quitting smoking
Most people who quit for good have quit before. That is not a discouraging fact, it is how it usually works. What changes the odds is having a plan and something to back it up, rather than willpower alone.
Quitting unaided works for some people, and if that is you, good. For most people the odds improve substantially with medication and with somebody checking in during the weeks where it gets hard.
A pharmacy is well placed for the second part. You are here anyway, there is no appointment to book, and the person you spoke to in week one is the person you will see in week four.
What is available
Nicotine replacement
Patches, gum, lozenges and inhalers. Frequently underdosed when people buy it themselves, which is a common reason it seems not to work.
Prescription options
There are prescription medications that help, and in Alberta a pharmacist can prescribe for smoking cessation. Come and ask what suits you.
Combining them
A patch for the baseline plus something faster for cravings is often more effective than either alone. It is also the thing people are least likely to try unprompted.
A plan for the hard parts
The specific situations where you always smoke. That is the useful conversation, and it is more useful before your quit date than after.
If you have tried before
Bring what happened. Which method, how long you lasted, and what you were doing when you started again. That is genuinely useful information rather than a confession.
Most successful quit attempts follow unsuccessful ones. The previous attempt tells us what to change this time.
Common questions
Can a pharmacist prescribe something to help me quit?
Yes. Alberta pharmacists can prescribe for smoking cessation. Come in and the pharmacist will go through the options, including whether a prescription medication or nicotine replacement suits you better.
Is nicotine replacement covered?
There is Alberta coverage that helps with the cost for many people, and some private plans contribute too. Ask us to check before you buy, because it is commonly assumed to be uncovered when it is not.
Do I need to pick a quit date first?
No. Come in before you have decided anything. Some approaches start before a quit date and some involve cutting down first, so it is better to plan it with someone than to arrive with the plan already fixed.
What if I start smoking again?
Come back. A lapse is information about what needs to change, not a reason to stop trying. Most people who quit permanently have several attempts behind them.
Can you help with vaping?
Come in and talk to the pharmacist about what you are using and what you want to stop. The conversation is the same shape even where the products differ.