Are you ready to quit or exploring your options to quit?
Quittin’ Time helps BC Public Service employees and their families access supports to make quitting easier, by providing access to:
Personalized Quit Coaching
- Telephone Counselling
- Chat Counselling
- Text Tips and Supports
Free and Subsidized Quit Aids
- Reimbursements for Nicotine Replacement Therapy
- Reimbursements for Prescription Medications
Helpful Resources
- Links to other cessation tools, programs and services
Connect to Personalized Quit Coaching
Talk to a Quit Coach
Chat with a Quit Coach
Get Text Tips
Call 1-877-455-2233 anytime, 24/7, to speak with an Intake Coach who will connect you with a Quit Coach to start your counselling journey.
You’ll receive 7 counselling sessions when you sign up—but you can re-register as often as you like!
Make the call
Instantly connect with a professional, live counsellor from your computer, phone, or device.
They are available to chat from 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 5 pm (PST) on weekends and holidays.
Start a chat
Subscribe to receive free, regular quit tips over text.
Sign up now
Explore Free and Subsized Quit Aids
Quit Aids, such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and prescription medications, can be helpful tools on your quit journey. All BC Public Service employees and their families are eligible to get reimbursed for NRT and prescription medications to help them quit.
Here’s how they work:
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can ease your quit journey by giving you a small, steady amount of nicotine—without the harmful chemicals in cigarettes and vapes.
Nicotine gum, patches and lozenges are all forms of NRT that can help take the edge off cravings and physical withdrawal symptoms so you can focus on quitting.
Speak with your pharmacist or doctor to determine which NRT is best for you. This is especially important if you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, have any chronic medical conditions, were recently in the hospital or take regular medication.
Prescription medication, also known as nicotine pharmacotherapy, can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms by targeting how nicotine affects your brain.
Prescription medications like varenicline (Champix®) or bupropion (Zyban®) don’t contain nicotine, but make quitting easier by easing cravings and blocking nicotine’s effects if you smoke or vape.
Get Reimbursed for Quit Aids Through the BC Public Service Benefits Plan
If you are a BC Public Service employee covered under the Canada Life extended benefits plan, you and your family can get reimbursed for the purchase of quit aids. The plan covers up to $300 per calendar year for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products or prescription medications, up to a lifetime maximum of $1,000.
Learn about eligibility, what’s covered and how to get reimbursed
BC Public Service employees and family members covered under the BC Public Service Extended Health Plan who use nicotine.
Get reimbursed up to $300 per year for eligible NRT products through your extended health benefits, with a lifetime limit of $1,000.
Note: This is over and above the coverage available to eligible BC residents through the BC Smoking Cessation Program.
Eligible products include:
- NRT products like gum, patches and lozenges.
- Eligible prescription medication, such as Bupropion (Zyban®) and Varenicline (Champix®).
- Connect with a Quit Coach: Call 1-877-455-2233 or use the online chat to connect. Your Quit Coach will help you create a quit plan and get you registered.
- Request a Registration Confirmation Letter: Ask your Quit Coach for a “BCPSA confirmation letter.” This document is required for reimbursement.
- Submit Your Claim: After receiving your letter, send it along with receipts to get reimbursed:
- Purchase within 6 months: Your NRT products or prescriptions must be purchased within 6 months of registering with a Quit Coach.
- Re-register every 6 months: If you plan to continue purchasing products, you need to re-register every 6 months. For example, if you register and purchase products in April, but need more in December, you must re-register in December.
- Plan rules apply: Reimbursement is subject to your health benefits plan’s normal rules, including the annual deductible and any applicable percentage limits on coverage.
- Partial reimbursement: Products purchased beyond your 12-week per calendar year free supply of gum, lozenges, or patches are eligible for partial reimbursement, at a rate of 80%.
Get help through the BC Smoking Cessation Program
All BC residents with an active MSP card are eligible to access the BC Smoking Cessation Program, which helps eligible BC residents stop smoking or using other tobacco products by covering 12-weeks of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products and some prescription medications.
Through this program, PharmaCare can help pay for:
- The full cost of NRT (nicotine gum, lozenges and patches) or
- Some or all of the cost of certain nicotine cessation prescription drugs, with coverage depending on your PharmaCare plan
Access Free NRT through the BC Smoking Cessation Program
All BC residents with active Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage, use nicotine and have not yet reached their annual limit of NRT through the program.
Every calendar year, eligible BC residents can receive a up to 12 weeks of continuous coverage of the following Nicotine Replacement Therapies for free:
- Nicorette® gum (2 mg, 4 mg) (Ultra Fresh Mint flavour only)
- Nicorette® lozenges (2 mg, 4 mg)
- Nicoderm® patch (7 mg, 14 mg, 21 mg)
Pharmacists can fill a maximum 28-day supply of an NRT per dispense. All three 28-day dispenses must be filled continuously, within the 12-week timeframe.
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Access Prescription Medications through the BC Smoking Cessation Program
BC residents who are enrolled in PharmaCare can be eligible for subsidized prescription medication. The coverage amount is based on your income level and Pharmacare Plan.
Each calendar year, PharmaCare will cover one continuous 12-week course of treatment of either bupropion (Zyban® brand only) or varenicline (generics).
For those covered by Fair PharmaCare, the cost of medications will depend on whether you have met your annual deductible and family maximum. You’ll need to be registered for Fair PharmaCare before picking up a prescription. Registration is free and there are no premiums.
To find out if you are covered by any of these plans, contact the PharmaCare help desk.
Get a prescription from your doctor, pharmacist, or other prescriber and fill it at your local pharmacy.
The prescription should specify:
- “Smoking cessation” as the indication
- “No substitutions”
- “Dispense in 28-day supply”
Access Additional Nicotine Replacement Therapy through First Nations Health Benefits (Plan W)
The First Nations Health Authority Health Benefits Program (Plan W) is available to First Nations people with Indian status who live in BC.
If you completed the 12-week course of treatment under the BC Smoking Cessation Program and have not quit smoking, you can access an additional 6-month supply of NRT products under Plan W through Pacific Blue Cross in the same calendar year.
The products covered under this program are:
- Nicoderm® patch (7 mg, 14 mg, 21 mg)
- Nicorette® gum (2 mg, 4 mg) (Ultra Mint and Fresh Fruit flavours)
- Nicorette® lozenges (2 mg, 4 mg)
- Nicorette® inhaler (4 mg)
To access NRTs through Plan W, you must be enrolled with the First Nations Health Authority and have proof of status.
Find Helpful Resources
Nicotine Cessation Resources
QuitNow.ca offers helpful resources for British Columbians ready to take control of their nicotine use. Delivered by the BC Lung Foundation on behalf of the Government of British Columbia, QuitNow provides practical tools and expert support to guide every step of the quit journey.
Support for Indigenous Peoples of BC
The First Nations Health Authority’s Respecting Tobacco page offers valuable resources, including videos, stories, and podcasts, for Indigenous people looking to quit commercial tobacco. First Nations Health Benefits (Plan W) provides additional reimbursement for Nicotine Replacement Therapy and prescription medications to eligible people with proof of status who are enrolled in the plan.
Support for Youth Who Vape
Helping a teen quit vaping can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. Understanding the challenges teens face and providing the right tools can make all the difference. Here are a few resources to get the conversation started:
- Government of BC – Talking to Teens about Vaping
- Government of Canada – A Tip Sheet for Parents: Talking with your Teen About Vaping
- QuitNow – Information for Caregivers: Learn About Vaping
- QuitNow – A Vape Free Life
- [Video] How Nicotine Affects Your Brain: Addressing Rural Adolescent E-cigarette Use project
Learn How to Combine Supports
Quitting doesn’t look the same for everyone, and neither do the ways you can use supports to help you quit nicotine. Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or a loved one, there are many different paths to success.
Curious about ways to combine supports in a way that works for you? Here are some sample scenarios of how BC Public Service employees, just like you, can combine different kinds of support to help with your quit journey.
