Quitting smoking is easier with help, and in much of Canada the medications that support people trying to quit are partly or fully covered. The catch is that the rules differ by province and territory, and they often depend on which drug plan you are in. Here is how coverage works across the country, based on Health Canada’s list of quit services and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer’s 2024 compilation of provincial and territorial drug coverage.
Three kinds of products come up in every jurisdiction. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) means patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers and sprays, and most of it can be bought without a prescription. Bupropion and varenicline are prescription drugs. Pharmacists, physicians and nurse practitioners can prescribe them in most places, though some limits apply. In Manitoba, for example, pharmacists can prescribe varenicline but not bupropion.
Health Canada also runs a national quit line at 1-866-366-3667, which connects callers with a quit coach. Each province and territory has its own service as well, listed below.
Coverage by province and territory
| Jurisdiction | What is covered | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Free NRT for up to 12 weeks a year. Up to 12 weeks a year of bupropion or varenicline, which may be subject to a Fair PharmaCare deductible. | B.C. residents with active Medical Services Plan coverage |
| Alberta | Up to $500 a year toward NRT, bupropion or varenicline through QuitCore. Some benefit programs cover bupropion or varenicline for 12 weeks a year. | Residents enrolled in a QuitCore group program with no other coverage, or enrolled in a listed government benefit program |
| Saskatchewan | Bupropion or varenicline for 12 weeks a year under several drug programs. NRT through the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency for cancer patients. | People approved under programs such as Supplementary Health Benefits or the Seniors’ Drug Plan |
| Manitoba | Up to $100 of NRT through the pharmacist program. Up to $300 of NRT in six months through the Quit Card. Pharmacare covers 12 weeks a year of bupropion or varenicline, with a deductible. | Adults 18 and older for the pharmacist program. Low-income patients at participating clinics for the Quit Card |
| Ontario | Up to 12 weeks a year of bupropion or varenicline under the Ontario Drug Benefit. About 10 weeks of NRT through STOP on the Net. | Ontario Drug Benefit members. Ontario residents 18 and older who enrol in STOP on the Net |
| Quebec | Under the public drug plan, NRT gum or lozenges (up to 840 pieces), bupropion and varenicline. Inhalers and sprays are not covered. | People on the public plan, including those without private insurance and those on financial assistance |
| New Brunswick | Up to 168 patches and 960 pieces of gum or lozenges a year, plus 24 weeks of varenicline or 12 weeks of bupropion. A co-payment may apply. | Residents 18 and older who qualify for a provincial drug plan |
| Nova Scotia | Bupropion or varenicline for 12 weeks a year, or 24 weeks with special authorization. Free or subsidized NRT in the Mental Health and Addictions stop-smoking program. | People registered with a Pharmacare program, or in a group stop-smoking program |
| Prince Edward Island | NRT, bupropion or varenicline through the PEI Smoking Cessation Program, for 6 to 18 weeks a year. | Residents who enrol in the program |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Nicotine replacement, bupropion or varenicline for 12 weeks, with another 12 weeks available with authorization. The co-pay is $18 per 12-week treatment. | Adults 18 and older in the Foundation, 65Plus or Access plans of the Prescription Drug Program |
| Yukon | 24 weeks a year of NRT through Quitpath. Bupropion and varenicline for social assistance recipients and for seniors in Pharmacare. | People enrolled in Quitpath (under 18 needs a doctor’s note). Other programs have their own rules |
| Northwest Territories | Through the Tobacco QUIT Aids Program: 24 weeks a year of patches, plus 12 weeks a year of other NRT and either bupropion or varenicline. | Residents 18 and older with an NWT Health Care Plan card who do not have other extended coverage |
| Nunavut | Under Extended Health Benefits: up to 252 patches a year, 12 weeks of other NRT, and 24 weeks of bupropion or varenicline. | Residents not covered, or not fully covered, by Non-Insured Health Benefits or another plan, who meet program criteria |
Where to get support in your province
Health Canada lists these official services: AlbertaQuits, QuitNow in British Columbia, Smokers’ Helpline for Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan, Smoke-Free NB, Smokers’ Help in Newfoundland and Labrador, Tobacco Free Nova Scotia, iQuitNow in Quebec, and the P.E.I. smoking cessation page. In the territories, see Yukon.ca, the N.W.T. Health and Social Services page and Nunavut’s NuQuits.
What to check before you go
Coverage is tied to programs, not just to where you live. Someone in Ontario may be covered through the Ontario Drug Benefit, a workplace plan or neither, and the answer changes what is free. A pharmacist can usually tell you which plan applies and whether a prescription is needed.
The details in this article reflect the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer’s 2024 report and provincial pages, and programs can change. Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, lowered its co-payment and extended treatment to 24 weeks in April 2022. Before you rely on a specific limit, confirm it with your provincial plan or pharmacy. Employer and private insurance plans may also cover cessation aids.
If you have a health condition or take other medications, ask your doctor or pharmacist which option suits you.
This article is based on official guidance from Health Canada and provincial and territorial governments, with coverage details compiled by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, and is provided for general public information. It’s not a substitute for medical advice, if you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.
Sources: Health Canada, Quitting smoking: provincial and territorial services; Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, coverage of smoking cessation aids; Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, smoking cessation program changes; Ontario.ca, prescription drug coverage; Manitoba Pharmacare.
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