ROCKPORT — MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital’s retail pharmacy has been awarded grant funding from the Maine Cancer Foundation to increase community access to tobacco cessation medications and support. The grant provides an opportunity to reduce barriers to accessing tobacco cessation support while leveraging the unique accessibility of pharmacists as trusted, frontline providers.

Patients and community members 18 years and older can request a two-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy (gum and patches), with no prescription required and at no cost, at three local pharmacies, including the retail pharmacy at Pen Bay Hospital, located at 6 Glen Cove Drive in Rockport, Jensen’s Pharmacy, located at 91 Camden St. in Rockland, and Belfast Drug Company, located at 15 Starrett Drive, Unit G, in Belfast. Participants will also receive a free consultation with a pharmacist to discuss benefits of quitting, learn how to use nicotine patches and gum, and review additional resources. Pharmacists can also refer patients directly to Maine QuitLink, a free resource that provides additional counseling and medications at no cost to patients.

The grant leverages the accessibility of pharmacies to complement and extend the work of the Maine Center for Tobacco Independence. Making tobacco cessation resources available at local pharmacies creates additional access points and helps reduce barriers to care, particularly for individuals who do not have a primary care provider or who may be reluctant to engage in formal health care settings.

“Quitting is hard, and we want people to know that pharmacies are here to help,” said Hillary Mishcon, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at Pen Bay Hospital. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer these resources at no cost to our community members and help provide support to people who are ready to quit using tobacco products.”

For more information, contact the retail pharmacy at Pen Bay Hospital at 301-8585.

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include Maine General Health in Augusta and Waterville and St. Mary's Health System in Lewiston. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.