Anti-tobacco use advocates on Tuesday collaborated on a unique $4 million program offering free stop smoking patches to the customers of four insurance companies. The Ohio Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Foundation and the four insurers-Medical Mutual of Ohio, Paramount Care, Summit, and CareSource-are splitting the costs of supplying free Nicoderm patches. Manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline is providing the over-the-counter product at "a fairly healthy," but unspecified, discount. Nicoderm is characterized as one of the most effective tobacco cessation treatment options available for persons addicted to tobacco. Ohioans who are insured by any of the four participating companies are eligible to receive up to an eight-week supply of Nicoderm patches that normally cost almost $200 at retail. Enrollment will be coordinated through the Ohio Tobacco Quit Line (1-800-QUIT-NOW).