Yesterday, the last of a three-tiered increase on tobacco tax came into effect, with one 20 pack of budget brand cigarettes going from $12.60 to $14.40, while other popular brands broke through the $15 mark, increasing from $14.50 to $16.50.
The increased price of her favourite cigarettes has prompted Palmerston teenager Taryn Gray (17) to give up the habit as part of her New Year's resolution.
A smoker for the past six years, she said the increase and the start of a new year made it the ideal time to quit.
Joining her was her friend Teesh Liddall (20), also of Palmerston, who said the habit was no longer affordable.
"We decided to get rid of our pack and today is the last day," she said.
The pair said they were likely to use patches and willpower to help them quit.
A spokeswoman for Quitline said the contact centre had received dozens of calls and internet inquiries in the first few hours yesterday, from all over the country.
January was the busiest time for the organisation, with 9383 people quitting smoking in January 2011 - almost double the number of January 2010.
Quitline chief executive Paula Snowden said if someone stopped smoking in January, they would save about $4500 a year.
For a family with one adult smoking a packet a day, this was the equivalent of a tank of petrol a week, and over a month was equivalent to an average week's rent.
"We expect the January tax jump will be a trigger for many to quit."
