At least 70 per cent of people who entered the quit groups ended up kicking the habit, she said.
In the year-to-date 333 people have registered with Quitline in the Wairarapa area, down slightly on last year's numbers (374).
Thirty-four people from Wairarapa registered with Quitline in August, compared with 51 in January.
Quitline spokeswoman Emma Gilkison said nationally the number of people giving up had risen in the past few years, but numbers were now plateauing. The organisation put this down to a shrinking pool of smokers available to seek Quitline services.
"The less smokers there are the less people seeking help to give up."
Quitline spokeswoman Jane MacPherson said January saw the organisation's highest call volumes due to New Year's resolutions and people wanting to make a "fresh start to the year".
Recent price increases had had a huge impact on the number of people wanting to quit smoking, she said.
"People effectively cannot afford it [anymore]."
Retail displays of cigarettes were banned from July 23 this year. Under the regulations all retailers are required to ensure tobacco products are hidden from view.
A series of tax rises - with more on the way - have made New Zealand cigarettes among the most expensive in the OECD. Tobacco excise taxes are set to increase by 10 per cent a year over the next four years.
British American Tobacco New Zealand last month launched a media campaign in response to the New Zealand Government's plan to strip all branding from cigarette packs to make them less attractive to smokers. The prevalence of smoking in New Zealand was 35 per cent in 1983. Today it is under 18 per cent.