With new year’s resolutions underway and National Non-Smoking Week on until Saturday, now may be the perfect time to seek help to quit smoking.

Several effective options, many of them completely free of charge, are available to students, staff and faculty looking to reduce or quit smoking.

This past fall, Brock University updated its Smoking and Vaping Policy as well as its Designated Smoking Area Locations and Non-Compliance Procedures. Beginning May 1, the outdoor designated smoking areas (DSA) on campus will be significantly reduced and their locations changed to create a smoke-free academic corridor leading from east to west across campus.

While smoking or vaping tobacco is allowed in DSAs, smoking or vaping cannabis anywhere on campus is prohibited.

Members of the Brock community looking to quit or reduce their smoking habits have access to the following resources:

On-campus resources

Leave the Pack Behind

Leave the Pack Behind (LTPB) is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and is available to anyone aged 18 to 29 residing in Ontario. The organization offers free resources to quit or reduce their smoking and vaping, such as eight weeks of nicotine patches, self-help booklets and challenges.
One such challenge is the annual wouldurather contest beginning Monday, Jan. 28. Interested participants must register by Sunday, Jan. 27 at 11:59 p.m. The contest runs until Sunday, March 10, with winners announced shortly after. A total of $10,000 in cash prizes is available to be won. Contestants will receive support emails and access to LTPB’s private Facebook community.

Personal Counselling Services

Students can call 1-833-BROCK33 (1-833-276-2533) to book an appointment with a Morneau Shepell counsellor. Personal Counselling Services is located at ST 400 in the Arthur Schmon Tower.

Student Health Services

Students can call 906-688-5550 x3243 to book an appointment with a physician. Student Health Services is located in Harrison Hall. Office hours are Monday to Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with evening drop-in available on Mondays. 

Employee resources

Smoking cessation resources and counselling services for employees are available through the University’s Brock’s Employee and Family Assistance Program and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible Brock employees and their eligible dependents can access cessation and nicotine replacement options as well as an online smoking cessation program that provides interactive exercises, goal-setting and action-planning.

Community resources

Community health centres

Patients of the following community health centres can access free nicotine replacement therapy (usually patches or gum):

• Quest Community Health Centre — 905-688-2558 x243
• Niagara Falls Community Health Centre — 905-356-422 x233
• Bridges Community Health Centre — Fort Erie: 905-871-7621 x2226 and Port Colborne: 289-479-5017 x2421

Heart Niagara

Niagara residents may be eligible to receive free nicotine replacement therapy, such as nicotine patches, gum, lozenges or inhalers. Call 905-358-5552 or visit heartniagara.com

Niagara region family health teams

Registered patients of the following family health teams can access free nicotine replacement therapy (usually patches or gum):

• Welland McMaster — 905-734-9699 x3
• Niagara North, St. Catharines — 905-988-9617 x226
• Niagara North, Niagara-on-the-Lake — 905-468-2177 x130
• Beamsville, Medical Centre — 905-563-5315
• Portage Medical — 905-354-9393 x225
• Smithville — 905-957-3328

Niagara Region Public Health

Call 905-699-8248 x 7393 or visit niagararegion.ca to find out about local programs, services and resources for quitting or reducing smoking, such as group workshops, counselling and nicotine replacement therapy.

Smokers’ Helpline

Call 1-877-513-5333 or visit smokershelpline.ca to get free, personalized tools and supports such as a telephone quit coach, motivational text messages, self-help booklets and an online community. The service is available in more than 100 languages.

—

For more information on Brock University’s Smoking and Vaping Policy, smoking cessation resources and Designated Smoking Area Locations and Non-Compliance Procedure, visit Brock’s Health, Safety and Wellness website.

Employees can also visit the Health, Safety and Wellness SharePoint site and Employee Wellness SharePoint site to access wellness resources.

On May 1, an east-west outdoor smoke-free corridor will be implemented on Brock’s main campus with about seven designated smoking areas located outside the corridor.