Over 1,500 Sign up to Quit in First Week of January

9 January 2015

Media Release

Over 1,500 Sign up to Quit in First Week of January

Quitline has reported a very busy start to 2015 with 1,685 New Zealanders signing up to use its quitting support services in the first seven days of January.

Quitline attributes the high number of people quitting to the 10% increase in tobacco excise that came into effect on the 1 January.

“A price increase always prompts smokers to try to quit the addiction. While the Government sets the 10% excise increase, some people don’t realise that the proportion of this that is passed on to the consumer is actually determined by the tobacco industry,” says Quitline Chief Executive, Paula Snowden.

She continues, “This year we’ve seen big cost increases across most tobacco brands. One of the cheaper packs of 20, for example, has gone up by 21% this year. It cost $15 in 2014 and it is now$18.20. That’s an extra $3.20 a pack! The cost of one of the cheaper packets of 30g of loose tobacco has increased by $5.60 (from $32.90 to $38.50).

“Other reasons people are telling us that they want to quit are for their families and their health. A lot of people have spoken of New Year’s resolutions to get fit and healthy. Others have mentioned things like lower insurance premiums or just being sick of it.”

New Zealanders from all over the country have signed up to Quitline support this January, with Cantabrians leading the way (12%), followed closely by those living in the Auckland region.

Quitline’s phone lines (0800 778 778) are open from 8.00am to 9.30pm Monday to Friday and from 10.00am to 7:30pm on Sunday. Advisors are ready to talk to anyone who wants to chat about quitting. By signing up to Quitline’s website www.quit.org.nz, people can access a full quit smoking support programme. They can also order subsidised patches, gum and lozenges online.

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Regional breakdown of Quitline registrations from the 1-7 January 2015

DHB Number of registrations
Auckland DHB 139
Bay of Plenty DHB 72
Canterbury DHB 183
Capital and Coast DHB 103
Counties Manukau DHB 146
Hawkes Bay DHB 65
Hutt DHB 67
Lakes DHB 42
Midcentral DHB 101
Nelson Marlborough DHB 41
Northland DHB 49
South Canterbury DHB 25
Southern DHB 113
Tairawhiti DHB 16
Taranaki DHB 40
Waikato DHB 115
Wairarapa DHB 18
Waitemata DHB 149
West Coast DHB 8
Whanganui DHB 16
Unknown 177
Total 1685

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