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Free consultation, prescriptions same visit
Quit smoking, with a pharmacist beside you.
Combination therapy succeeds at 25 to 35%. Going it alone, 3 to 5%. We prescribe Champix or Zyban, build a plan around your triggers, and follow up at weeks 1, 4, and 12. No referral, billed to Alberta Health.
Why it's hard
Nicotine addiction is physiological, not a character flaw.
Withdrawal symptoms (irritability, cravings, sleep disruption) come from neurochemistry, and they peak in the first 1 to 2 weeks. Unaided quit attempts succeed at 3 to 5% over twelve months. Combination therapy plus pharmacist counselling raises that to 25 to 35%. The medications matter. The structure matters more.
Treatment options
Four paths. Often combined.
NRT (patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler)
No prescription needed. Patches give steady delivery. Gum and lozenges handle acute cravings on demand.
Champix (varenicline)
Most effective single-agent therapy. Reduces cravings while blocking nicotine's reward effect.
Zyban (bupropion)
Non-nicotine option. Affects dopamine pathways. Helpful when concurrent depression is a factor. Reduces post-quit weight gain.
Combination therapy
Patch plus an on-demand product. Strongest evidence among NRT-only strategies, often used alongside Champix or Zyban.
What we do
A single visit covers it.
Smoking history.
How much, how long, prior attempts, what worked or didn't.
Medication and health review.
Current medications, conditions, contraindications. We screen for interactions.
Set a quit date.
Usually one to two weeks out. Champix is started before the quit date for proper blood levels.
Therapy selected and prescribed.
You leave with the medication in hand and a written plan.
Follow-up scheduled.
Weeks 1, 4, and 12. The week-1 check-in is the most important.
Coverage
Most of it is paid for.
Pharmacist consultation: free, billed to Alberta Health. Champix and Zyban: covered under the Alberta Drug Benefit list. NRT products: not covered by Alberta Health, roughly $100 to $150 for an 8-week patch course. Private insurance often reimburses on top.
First two weeks
What helps the most.
- Identify triggers before quit date
- Stock supplies in advance
- Use the 4 Ds: Delay, Deep breathe, Drink water, Do something else
- Reduce alcohol
- Tell your social circle
- Treat slips as data, not failure
- Show up to the week-1 follow-up
Pharmacist consultation
Walk in, walk out with a plan.
No referral. No fee. We prescribe the medication and book the follow-ups in the same visit.