April 5, 2007

Ontario Pharmacists’ Association and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health announce new phase of the STOP Study – offering 5,000 Ontarians free medication to quit smoking

TORONTO – The Ontario Pharmacists’ Association (OPA), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and the Ministry of Health Promotion today announced they will begin the pharmacy phase of the highly successful Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) Study. Up to 5,000 Ontarians will now be able to receive five weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) from their local participating pharmacy.

Today at an event held at the OPA offices in Toronto, it was announced that 55 pharmacists in 43 locations province-wide are confirmed to participate in this phase of the STOP Study. “Pharmacists are the most accessible members of a health care team, so Ontarians will now be able to access free NRT close to home,” said Sherrie Hertz, Director of Pharmacy Programs, OPA. “The negative health effects of smoking are preventable and as front-line health care providers, we hope to help lower the estimated 16,000 tobacco-related deaths that occur in Ontario each year.”

The first phase of the STOP Study was introduced in January 2006 and was the first of its kind in Canada.  With the help of NRT, at least 12 per cent of participants – or 1,600 Ontarians – were able to quit smoking. “The results from the mass distribution phase were outstanding,” said Dr. Peter Selby, Clinical Director of Addiction Programs, CAMH and Principal Investigator of the STOP Study. “The pharmacy phase will give more people access to both NRT and pharmacists’ professional services, which will contribute the increase in quit rates.”

The Ministry of Health Promotion has made finding effective smoking cessation strategies a priority and the ministry's support for this new phase shows the government's on-going commitment to the health of Ontarians.
 
“Helping smokers quit is an essential part of the McGuinty government’s Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy,” said Minister of Health Promotion Jim Watson. “The success of the first phase of the STOP Study was a great accomplishment and we are proud to work with exceptional partners like CAMH and the OPA to help even more people across Ontario.”

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is one of the leading addiction and mental health organizations in the world and Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital. CAMH is a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, and is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. CAMH combines clinical care, research, policy, education and health promotion to transform the lives of people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.

The Ontario Pharmacists’ Association is the professional advocacy association representing the views and interests of over 10,000 practicing pharmacists and pharmacists-in-training, in Canada’s largest province. 

The Ministry of Health Promotion was established in June 2005 to improve and deliver programs that contribute to healthy living and wellness in this province.  Key priorities include Ontario’s smoke-free strategy, healthy eating, active living, sport and recreation, injury prevention and mental health promotion.

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For more information, please contact:
Michael Torres,
Media Relations, CAMH,
(416) 595-6015

Mary-Anne Cedrone,
Manager of Communications, OPA,
416-441-0788 ext.4266

Adam Grachnik,
Minister Watson’s Office,
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg,
Ministry of Health Promotion,
416-326-4833

Pharmacists Participating in the Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) Study
To date, 55 pharmacies from across Ontario have agreed to participate in this phase of the STOP Study. 

The participating pharmacists below are also listed on the STOP Study website at www.stopstudy.ca.

If you are a pharmacist or know of a pharmacist/pharmacy in your area who may be interested in becoming involved with the study, please contact the Research Coordinator, Mary-Jean Costello, to find out more about participating. Phone: 416-535-8501 ext. 6330 or Email: maryjean_costello@camh.net.

Central

Kennedy Road Pharmacy
2 Antrim Cr.
Scarborough
M1P 2N3
(416) 298-2222
Participating Pharmacist: Bill Liu

Torrance Compounding Pharmacy
2650 Lawrence Ave. E. Unit 3
Scarborough
M1P 2S1
(416) 289-6680
Participating Pharmacist: Sandra Chee-Kwan

The Village Pharmacy
473 Church St.
Toronto
M4Y 2C5
(416)-967-9221
Participating Pharmacist: Zahid Somani

Central East

Angus Borden Guardian Drugs
17 King St. #6
Angus
L0M 1B2
(705) 424-5931
Participating Pharmacist: Micheal Boivin
Participating Pharmacist: Ward Charlebois

Shoppers Drug Mart #911
2379 Highway #2
Bowmanville
L1C 5A4
(905) 697-8595
Participating Pharmacist: Leanne Travis
Participating Pharmacist: Minti Patel

Shoppers Drug Mart
248 Manitoba St.
Bracebridge
P1L 2E1
(705) 645-5234
Participating Pharmacist: Phu Lam

Axis Village Court Pharmacy
49 Maple Ave.
Haliburton
K0M 1S0
(705) 457-5020
Participating Pharmacist: Amin Shivji

Haliburton Highlands Family Health
7217 Gelert Road, PO Box 870
Haliburton
K0M 1S0
(705) 457-1212 ext. 248
Participating Pharmacist: Douglas Stewart

ADV-Care Pharmacy
11-70 Esna Park Dr.
Markham
L3R 6E7
(905) 948-1991
Participating Pharmacist: Mona Bannis

Clinic Pharmacy
117 King St. E.
Oshawa
K1H 1B9
(905) 576-9090
Participating Pharmacist: Heide Kraus

Prescription Pharmacy
11 Gibb Street
Oshawa
L1H 2J9
(905) 432-2610
Participating Pharmacist: Willa Navarro
Dominion Pharmacy #526
1070 Major Mackenzie Dr. E.
Richmond Hill
L4S 1P3
(905) 884-3400
Participating Pharmacist: Sabrina Lam
Participating Pharmacist: Jeanne Chu

Sutton Apothecary
121 High St.
Sutton
L0E 1R0
(905) 722-3302
Participating Pharmacist: Al Reyhany

Central South

Dell Pharmacy
260 St. Paul Ave.
Brantford
N3R 4M7
(519) 756-6363 ext. 0
Participating Pharmacist: Randy Gunning
Participating Pharmacist: Bill Lamond
Participating Pharmacist: Denise O'Hanian

DrugStore Pharmacy #540
410 Fairview Ave., Unit 3
Brantford
N3R 7N7
(519) 754-4798 ext. 0
Participating Pharmacist: Santosh Manjunath
Participating Pharmacist: Bhikhu Tejyra

Pharmacy at Price Chopper (Sobey's Group)
50 Market St. S.
Brantford
N3S 2E3
(519) 759-6997
Participating Pharmacist: Ashwin Gandhi

Shoppers Drug Mart #1155
269 Clarence St.
Brantford
N3R 3T6
(519) 753-9091
Participating Pharmacist: Cynthia Gillam
Participating Pharmacist: Kristina Kelley

Delhi PharmaSave
221 Main St.
Delhi
N4B 2M4
(519) 582-1530
Participating Pharmacist: John Stanczyk

DayNight Pharmacy
700 Queenston Rd.
Hamilton
L8G 1A3
(905) 296-5474
Participating Pharmacist: Patricia Lilko
Participating Pharmacist: Emina Banic

North Hamilton Community Health Care
554 John Street North
Hamilton
L8L 4S1
(905) 523-6611 ext. 241
Participating Pharmacist: Janie Bowles-Jordan
For participants in the North End catchment area

Pharma Viva Pharmacy
6 Clairmont St.
Thorold
L2V 1R1
(905) 680-7077
Participating Pharmacist: Baher Khoury

Simpson's Pharmacy
1882 Niagara Stone Rd. Box 329
Virgil
L0S 1T0
(905) 468-2121
Participating Pharmacist: Sean Simpson

Central West

Shoppers Drug Mart #726
2080 Appleby Line
Burlington
L7L 6M6
(905) 332-8787
Participating Pharmacist: Christine Yu

Shoppers Drug Mart
265 Main St. E.
Milton
L9T 1P1
(905) 878-3311
Participating Pharmacist: Dawn Ross

Shoppers Drug Mart
1585 Mississauga Valley Blvd.
Mississauga
L5A 3W9
(905) 272-1100
Participating Pharmacist: Kevin Huang

Shoppers Drug Mart #904
Erin Mills Town Centre, 5100 Erin Mills Parkway
Mississauga
L5M 4Z5
(905) 569-3939
Participating Pharmacist: Meena Zala

East

Kelly's Gaurdian Pharmacy
411 Bridge St. E.
Belleville
K8N 1P7
(613) 962-5112
Participating Pharmacist: Michele Solkhon

DrugStore Pharmacy #4245
753 Notre Dame St.
Embrun
K0A  1W0
(613) 443-2357
Participating Pharmacist: Natalie Lafleur

DrugStore Pharmacy
Kemptville Mall, 2600 Hwy 43 W.
Kemptville
K0G 1J0
(613) 258-9283
Participating Pharmacist: Kate Swetnam

Wal-Mart Pharmacy #1041
89 Jim Kimmett Blvd
Napanee
K7R 3L1
(613) 354-0170
Participating Pharmacist: Amanda Wall

DrugStore Pharmacy
200 Grant Carman
Ottawa
K2E 7Z8
(613) 727-7477
Participating Pharmacist: Maya Najim

DrugStore Pharmacy
2737 Laurier St.
Rockland
K4K 1A3
(613) 446-4099
Participating Pharmacist: Nadine Niyongere
Participating Pharmacist: Ben Gunter

North

DrugStore Pharmacy
44-50 Great Northern Rd.
Sault Ste. Marie
P6B 4Y5
(705) 253-2887
Participating Pharmacist: Jake McCracken

Fenlon's Pharmacy
88 Broadway Ave. Box 339
Wawa
P0S 1K0
(705) 856-2800
Participating Pharmacist: Gary Simard

North West

Safeway Pharmacy
417 Scott St.
Fort Frances, ON P9A 1H3
(807) 274-0363
Participating Pharmacist: David Schwartz
Participating Pharmacist: Ron Skrupa

PharmaSave #490
38 King St.
Dryden
P8N 1B3
(807) 223-2413
Participating Pharmacist: Robert Button
Participating Pharmacist: Lawrence Zachidniak

Wal-Mart Pharmacy
Unit 1 - 24 Miikana Way
Kenora
P9N 4J1
(807) 468-8307
Participating Pharmacist: Lorna Smith

Red Lake Pharmacy
146 Hourie St. P.O. Box 890
Red Lake
P0V 2M0
(807) 727-2255
Participating Pharmacist: Felipe Campusano

South West

Pharma Plus Drug Mart
144 Court House Square
Goderich
N7A 1M9
(519) 524-2145
Participating Pharmacist: Dan Stringer
Participating Pharmacist: Mark Aitken

Zellers Pharmacy
600 Mitchell Rd. S.
Listowel
N4W 3T1
(519) 291-6525
Participating Pharmacist: Nelia Ngo

Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy No. 228
413 King St.
London
N6B 1S6
(519) 435-0675
Participating Pharmacist: Gossette Radlein

Southwest Middlesex Health Centre
22262 Mill Rd. R.R.#5
Mount Brydges
N0L 1W0
(519) 264-2023
Participating Pharmacist: Diane Staines

Coward Pharmacy Ltd.
165 Broadway
Tillsonburg
N4G 3P9
(519) 842-4081
Participating Pharmacist: Ian McDowell

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For further information:

Adam Grachnik
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

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