Quit smoking · Pharmacist support
Quitting smoking is hard. Doing it alone is harder.
Murray Shore Pharmacy helps people across North York and Toronto stop smoking: a quit plan built at the counter, straight guidance on nicotine replacement, prescription options where they make sense, and a pharmacist who checks in after day one. Coverage differs from person to person, so call 416-789-1800 and we will confirm what applies to you before you spend a dollar.
What a pharmacist actually does here
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A quit plan that fits your actual life
When you smoke, why you smoke, what tripped you up last time. One honest conversation at the counter turns that into a plan with a start date, instead of a vague someday.
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Guidance through the nicotine replacement aisle
Patch, gum, lozenge, inhaler, mouth spray: the options blur together on a shelf. A pharmacist matches the form and strength to how much and when you smoke.
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Prescription options, handled properly
Ontario pharmacists can initiate treatment for smoking cessation with bupropion or varenicline. Whether medication belongs in your plan is a conversation, not a default.
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Check-ins after day one
Quitting is not a single decision, it is several weeks of them. We are up the street and one call away when the plan needs adjusting, which it usually does.
Know your nicotine replacement options
Nicotine replacement therapy, or NRT, gives your body nicotine without the smoke, in a controlled dose you step down over time. These products are available without a prescription, and the point of asking a pharmacist first is matching the form and strength to your habits rather than guessing at the shelf.
- Patch
- Worn on the skin and changed daily, working quietly in the background through the day.
- Gum
- Used when a craving hits, on your schedule rather than a fixed one.
- Lozenge
- Dissolves slowly in the mouth, discreet at work or in shul.
- Inhaler
- Keeps the hands busy too, which some people miss most.
- Mouth spray
- The fastest to reach for in the moment a craving arrives.
Ontario support that may apply to you
At this counter
- Pharmacist counselling. For people receiving Ontario Drug Benefits (opens in a new tab), the province lists pharmacist-assisted counselling for up to a year.
- Covered medication. ODB lists coverage of the prescription drugs Champix or Zyban for those 18 or older.
- Pharmacist prescribing. Ontario pharmacists can initiate treatment for smoking cessation with bupropion or varenicline.
Beyond our counter, free
- Health811 (opens in a new tab). Ontario’s health line, online or by calling 811.
- Smokers’ Helpline (opens in a new tab). Online programs and text-message support.
- CAMH’s STOP program (opens in a new tab). Enrolled participants get access to cost-free nicotine replacement therapy.
What none of that tells you is what applies to you: your coverage, your health history, your best next step. That is a counter conversation, not a web page. Ask us whether you qualify, and we will tell you plainly what we can set up and what belongs with your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Quit-smoking questions
Is quit-smoking support covered for me?
It depends on your drug coverage. Ontario funds a pharmacy-based program for people receiving Ontario Drug Benefits, including pharmacist-assisted counselling for up to a year. Whether that program, or other coverage, applies to you is exactly what a two-minute call settles: 416-789-1800.
Do I need a prescription for nicotine patches or gum?
No. Nicotine replacement products such as patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers and oral sprays are available without a prescription. It is still worth talking to your pharmacist before choosing, so the form and strength match how much and when you smoke.
Can a pharmacist prescribe a quit-smoking medication?
Yes. Ontario pharmacists have independent authority to initiate treatment for smoking cessation with bupropion or varenicline. Bring your health history and current medication list, and we will talk through whether a prescription belongs in your plan.
Does Murray Shore run Ontario’s funded smoking cessation program?
The funded program exists for Ontario Drug Benefit recipients, and enrolment details are the kind of thing that changes. Rather than promise on a web page, call 416-789-1800 and we will confirm exactly what we can set up for you before you come in.
Which form of nicotine replacement is right for me?
It depends on your pattern. The patch works steadily through the day, while gum, lozenges, the inhaler and the mouth spray are used in the moment a craving arrives. Many people talk to their pharmacist about pairing a steady form with a quick one, and about the right strength for how much they currently smoke.
Can I use vaping to quit?
We do not sell or promote vaping products as part of quit-smoking support. Our focus is nicotine replacement therapy and prescription options, worked out with a pharmacist who knows your file. If you currently vape and want to stop that too, we can help you plan for it.
What free supports does Ontario offer while I quit?
Ontario points to Health811, online or by calling 811, for quit-smoking support. The Smokers’ Helpline offers online programs and text-message support, and CAMH’s STOP program gives enrolled participants access to cost-free nicotine replacement therapy. We can point you to whichever fits your situation.
Program and coverage details on this page were checked against Ontario’s support to quit smoking page (opens in a new tab), the Ontario College of Pharmacists’ smoking cessation page (opens in a new tab) and the Canadian Cancer Society’s quitting page (opens in a new tab). Individual eligibility varies: call 416-789-1800 to confirm what applies to you.
Your pharmacist is one call away.
416-789-1800 Call nowPrefer not to call? Email info@murrayshore.com or visit us at Bathurst & Baycrest.