Pharmacotherapy

Use of pharmacotherapy

Bar chart showing prevalence of use of nicotine replacement therapy among current smokers and recent quitters who had quit or attempted to quit smoking in the past 12 months in 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

As noted previously, nearly one-third (31.8%a) of those who attempted to quit in the past 12 months had used some form of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).   

Nicotine patches were the most popular form of NRT (Figure 5.18). Nicotine inhalers, nasal or mouth sprays, and lozenges were less common, used by 14.9% when combined. A similar percentage used NRT gum.

Since 2003, the nicotine patch has been the most popular in all years with available data (Figure 5.19). Use of stop-smoking “medications such as Zyban, Wellbutrin or Champix” was not included on the CTNS, but was included in some previous surveys.

Figure 5.18 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 5.18: Prevalence of use (%) of stop-smoking medications among current smokers and recent quitters* who had quit or attempted to quit smoking in the past 2 years, 2020
Year Nicotine patch Nicotine gum Nicotine inhaler, spray, lozenge
2020 19.4 [14.4-24.4] 13.7 [9.5-17.9] 14.9 [10.5-19.2]

*Includes current smokers and former smokers who had quit in the past 12 months.
Data source: Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2020.

Line graph showing prevalence of use of stop-smoking medications among current smokers and recent quitters who had quit or attempted to quit smoking in the past 2 years in 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 5.19 data table with 95% confidence intervals
Figure 5.19: Prevalence of use (%) of stop-smoking medications among current smokers and recent quitters* who had quit or attempted to quit smoking in the past 2 years, 2003-2020
Year Nicotine patch Nicotine gum Medication such as Zyban, Wellbutrin or Champix Quitline Internet website Nicotine inhaler, spray, or lozenge
2003 31.5 21.8 21.5 1.0 1.9 N/A
2004 33.7 19.4 15.3 1.6 2.7 N/A
2005 32.7 17.2 14.5 1.8 3.3 N/A
2006 30.8 20.3 13.6 N/A N/A N/A
2007 30.8 23.5 13.9 N/A N/A N/A
2008 31.3 23.9 11.0 N/A N/A N/A
2009 29.3 21.5 17.6 3.3 N/A N/A
2010 27.1 22.2 20.6 3.3 N/A N/A
2011 25.5 19.9 19.4 3.2 N/A N/A
2012 26.3 20.2 19.4 4.5 N/A N/A
2017 24.3
[18.8-29.9]		 16.1
[11.9-20.3]		 14.7
[10.0-19.5]		 7.1
[3.9-10.3]		 N/A N/A
2019 16.8
[12.8-20.8]		 11.2
[7.9-14.6]		 N/A N/A N/A 8.6 [5.2-11.9]
2020 19.4
[14.4-24.4]		 13.7
[9.5-17.9]		 N/A N/A N/A 14.9 [10.5-19.2]

*Includes current smokers and former smokers who had quit in the past 12 months.
Data sources: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, 1999-2012; Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs Survey, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.

95% confidence intervals for in-text estimates

a: 31.8 [25.9-37.6]