1. The covered programme through your health insurance
Dutch basic health insurance covers one stop-smoking programme per calendar year, and it does not count towards your deductible (eigen risico). The programme consists of counselling, possibly combined with medication or nicotine replacement. The counselling has to come from a recognised care provider, such as:
- your GP (huisarts) or practice nurse (POH);
- a coach registered in the Kwaliteitsregister Stoppen met Roken;
- a hospital stop-smoking clinic, for example in the lung department.
Check with your insurer which providers and products are covered. Commercial programmes, such as online courses and hypnotherapy, are usually not. Many GPs speak English; ask your practice whether counselling in English is possible.
2. Ikstopnu (Trimbos Institute)
The Trimbos Institute's ikstopnu.nl offers free information, a quit plan and free phone coaching. The phone counselling is also covered. The website is in Dutch.
3. Stoptober
Every October, tens of thousands of people in the Netherlands take part in Stoptober: 28 days without smoking, together. You get free tips, an app and support from others who are quitting too. Stoptober starts on 1 October, a good moment to pick a quit date.
4. Free webinar from Ik Stop Wel (in Dutch)
Want to try a different approach from patches and pills? Stop-smoking coach Marcel Borst gives a free webinar in which he explains his method and answers questions. There is no obligation.
Free
Free webinar: quit smoking in one go (in Dutch)
- Marcel Borst explains his method
- Ask your questions live
- A no-strings way to get to know the approach
Affiliate links: if you buy through these links, we receive a commission. Prices as listed on ikstopwel.nl in September 2026. All Ik Stop Wel products are in Dutch.
5. Free ways to help yourself
- Track how much you save with our calculator. It is very motivating.
- Tell the people around you that you are quitting, and ask for support.
- Read our tips to quit smoking and what to expect from withdrawal symptoms.
Free or paid?
The covered programme through your GP is proven to work and costs you nothing, so start there if you are unsure. A paid programme can be an addition, for example if you want more aftercare or an approach that focuses mainly on habits. See the comparison in all methods at a glance.