Thousands of smokers dialling to quit

Seventy thousand calls were logged in the first six weeks of the Quitline stop-smoking programme and 165,000 calls have been received to date.

The Ministry of Health 0800 scheme, launched last November, offers smokers a four-week course of nicotine patches and gum for $10 instead of up to $125, with an option for another four weeks' supply.

- NZPA