Greater use should be made of nicotine replacement therapy – O'Connor

Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor has expressed concern at how little attention is being given to available pharmaceutical aids to help surgical patients quit smoking.

Mr O'Connor was responding to an article in the New Zealand Medical Journal, which reported that a surgical unit in one hospital spent only $760 on nicotine replacement in 2006.

"Smoking is responsible for a great deal of illness and is a huge burden on our health system. I want to support our health professionals to give their patients every opportunity to quit.

"I will be writing to all DHBs to emphasise the importance of offering Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to patients who smoke and to clarify how clinicians can access subsidised NRT.

Mr O'Connor said: "The evidence is clear. Using NRT during a quit attempt doubles the chances of quitting long-term.

"Subsidised NRT is cheap – a four-week supply costs $5. We need to promote easy access to NRT, and that includes through our hospitals. The Ministry of Health will be providing me with options to achieve this."

Smoking cessation initiatives received a significant boost in Budget 2007, accounting for the majority of the $43 Million over the next three years allocated to reducing the harm caused by tobacco.