B.C. to Give Out Free Nicotine Gum, Patches

But nothing to replace the sex appeal and iconoclastic character one gets by lighting up a toasted bundle of amazi... erm, death.

The B.C. government is trying out a novel approach to help the province's smokers quit the habit by giving them free nicotine gum and patches. Starting this Friday, smokers can sign up for 12 weeks' worth of the smoke-cessation products, which Premier Christy Clark says will cost the province about $25 million a year.