10 Jan 2013

More smokers wanting to quit

1:53 pm on 10 January 2013

A tax increase on tobacco last week, coupled with New Year's resolutions, prompted 2171 smokers to attempt join Quitline in an attempt to quit.

Of these, communications director Bruce Basset said about 500 will have stopped smoking within six months

While most people want to give up for family or health reasons, he said tobacco tax increases were also a trigger.

The tax increase of 10%, in effect since New Year's Day, has raised the retail price of cigarettes to $20.