New resources to boost pharmacist role in helping their patients quit smoking
October 31, 2024 (Ottawa): A new resource toolkit released by the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) will help pharmacists across the country play an even larger role in supporting their patients’ efforts to quit smoking. Break the Habit: A Pharmacist’s Toolkit for Smoking Cessation Counselling is a comprehensive toolkit that features dozens of accessible resources, including evidence-based strategies, practical guides and patient-centered resources.
Despite declining smoking rates, there is still an urgent need for stronger smoking cessation efforts. Approximately 48,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco use in Canada and tobacco is linked to more than 40 different diseases, particularly chronic conditions affecting the lungs and heart, that place a significant strain on Canada’s health-care system due to the high costs of tertiary care services.
“Pharmacists can play a crucial role in supporting our patients’ efforts to quit smoking,” says Dr. Sadaf Faisal, CPhA’s director of professional affairs. “These tools we have developed will support and enhance the care we can provide, ultimately leading to better outcomes for our patients—research shows that long-term outcomes are significantly more successful when a health-care provider is supporting the quit process.”
At a glance, the toolkit includes:
- Assessment tools for evaluating patient readiness, smoking habits and health risks.
- Treatment resources, including pharmacological and behavioral interventions (with guidance on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and non-NRT medications), treatment algorithms and motivational interviewing techniques.
- Patient education materials that explain the risks of smoking, the benefits of quitting, guidance on NRT and other prescription therapies and customizable quit plans. It also offers tips for managing common challenges such as withdrawal symptoms and relapse.
From regular consultations to check-ins, personalized advice and guidance on selecting and using cessation aids, pharmacists can offer a wide variety of services. This level of support is essential for enhancing patients’ success in quitting smoking, ultimately leading to better public health outcomes.
In Canada, most people live within 5 km of a pharmacy, and patients tend to visit their pharmacist 1.5 to 10 times more frequently than their physician. This accessibility, coupled with their medication expertise and clinical knowledge, make pharmacists a vital resource in addressing the public health challenge of tobacco use.
CPhA is committed to enhancing patient care and promoting better health outcomes through pharmacist-led interventions. These tools will enhance pharmacist’s ability to deliver personalized care, improve patient outcomes, and position themselves as a vital partner in public health.
The toolkit is freely accessible to all pharmacy professionals through the CPhA website at www.pharmacists.ca/smokingcessation
This toolkit has been supported by an educational grant from Kenvue.
About the Canadian Pharmacists Association
The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) is the uniting national voice of pharmacy and the pharmacist profession in Canada. As pharmacists undertake an enhanced role in the delivery of health care services, CPhA ensures that the profession is recognized as a national leader in health care, influencing the policies, programs, budgets and initiatives affecting the profession and the health of Canadians.
For more information, please contact:
Tyler Gogo
Senior Manager, Communications
Canadian Pharmacists Association
tgogo@pharmacists.ca
613-293-7223