Health ministry launches tobacco reduction plan

The Ministry of Health has set in motion a plan to reduce the number of cigarettes being smoked through the introduction of pills that contain nicotine lozenges.

Nicotine lozenge is a medicine that helps people quit smoking and is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

It provides users the same satisfaction that comes from smoking cigarettes, but without the toxic chemicals.

Guyana will be rolling out the medication under a new project called Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).

The medication will be available at all the tobacco cessation clinics and distributed free of charge.

This was disclosed by Technical Officer at the Chronic Disease Unit, Tobacco Control, Dr Shaliza Gopie recently, on the ministry’s programme called Health Matters.

The intake of the lozenges will be managed by physicians from the health centres.

To introduce the programme, the first set of nicotine lozenge pills was distributed to the Eccles Health Centre, East Bank Demerara.

“Also, the nicotine patches are on their way but it’s just that the lozenges are going to be introduced first. We also hope to introduce the gum as well,” the technical officer stated.

Tobacco cessation clinics can be found at the health centres in Industry, East La Penitence, Festival City, Kitty, Lodge, Enmore, Buxton, Craig, and Grove.

Cessation clinics will soon be established at other health centres countrywide. (DPI)