Key findings from the 2009 New Zealand ... - Ministry of Health

3. Age standardised to the WHO world population.
Source of nicotine replacement therapy
In November 2000 a national subsidised NRT scheme commenced in New Zealand,
aiming to support smokers to quit by providing access to low-cost nicotine patches or
gum.
In February 2008 access to subsidised NRT was widened, with Quitcards being able to
be distributed by all health professionals with prescribing rights, including GPs, and
midwives, dentists, optometrists and nurse practitioners. Quitcards are vouchers given
by trained health workers, or sent in the mail by the Quitline, to smokers who wish to
quit. On presentation of the Quitcard to a community pharmacy, NRT patches, gum or
lozenges are received for a small fee. Without a Quitcard, smokers wanting to quit can
purchase selected NRT products over the counter at full price in supermarkets,
pharmacies and other retail outlets.
Increased access to subsidised NRT in February 2008 is expected to increase quit
attempts, as well as the introduction of pictorial health warnings on cigarette packets,
which were introduced at the same time. These new pictorial health warnings also
included the Quitline telephone number in a far clearer format (and the Quitline is the
major dispenser of Quitcards).
From 1 September 2009 nicotine patches, gum and lozenges were funded upon
presentation of either a prescription or a Quitcard. This change enabled medical
practitioners (and some other health care workers) to prescribe subsidised NRT on a
prescription, as an alternative to Quitcards.
Respondents were asked where they got their NRT from and whether it was subsidised
or not. Of those people who had used NRT in their most recent quit attempt, the
majority (74.7%, 65.7–83.6) received subsidised NRT, while approximately one in six
(16.4%, 9.0–26.4) bought it at full price over the counter.
Nearly half (48.3%, 37.0–59.7) of those who had used NRT received it from the Quitline
(Figure 42), while around one in eight (13.1%, 7.2–21.2) got their prescription or
Quitcard from their GP. Around one in seven (14.2%, 7.2–24.3) recent quit attempters
who used NRT in their most recent quit attempt bought their NRT for full price at a
pharmacy, while only 2.2% (0.3–7.4) bought their NRT for full price from a supermarket.
Tobacco Use in New Zealand 63