The second-generation cessation program in Taiwan extended the first-generation coverage for those inpatients, in addition to the prevailing outpatients, and the time period medication was used up to 8 weeks, allowing smokers to increase quit attempts and to save as much as NTD4,000 (USD137) per person, said Department of Health in Taipei City Government, Taiwan.

　　According to the statistics provided by the Smoking Cessation Clinics Management Center at Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, the number of smokers enrolled in the new cessation program has increased from 2,650 last year to 3,852 this year, with a growth rate of 45% during the same 4-month period from March 1st to June 30th.

　　Chen, a 33-year-old smoker with 15 years of smoking since his college years, had attempted to quit four times in the past but failed. He visited Da-Tong Outpatient Department at Taipei City Hospital Zhongxing Branch in April this year, upon informed of the second-generation cessation program. With maximum NTD200 (USD6.85) as co-insurance, he was able to quit successfully with the treatment from health care professionals and support from his families as well.

　　Effective this March, the second-generation cessation program extended the coverage to cover the smoking inpatients and smokers visiting the emergency cares. With no more than NTD200 (USD6.85) co-insurance each visit, smokers can receive cessation medicines up to 8 weeks, a 4-week extension from the old program, said Li-Ju Lin (林莉茹), Director of Health Management Office, Department of Health, in Taipei. Smokers, age 18 and older, who smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day or who score “4” or higher in Fagerstrom test for Nicotine dependence, are eligible for this new cessation program.