The Wyoming Department of Health has a suggested new year's resolution for smokers: quit, please, for the people who love you, quit smoking. In a series of television commercials, the health department is going to let Wyoming residents make the point with personal, unscripted appeals to loved ones to quit smoking.

"While most people recognize tobacco's physical harm, the potential emotional devastation is discussed much less often," said Health Department Tobacco Program Coordinator Joseph D'Eufemia (deh fee' mia).

D'Eufemia says that support services increase a person's chances of successfully quitting.

The health department's Wyoming Quit Tobacco Program offers vouchers to help people get nicotine supplements or even prescription drugs such as Welbutrin, Zyban or Chantix. The Wyoming program is one of the most generous in the nation, notes D'Eufemia.

Dr. Brent Sherard, state health officer, says that tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and defends the emotional appeal of the television commercials.

Real people in commercials:

"These are real people with real concerns, and many of these people are talking about their loved ones, and how important they are, and how they may not be around as long because of their tobacco use, so I think these are going to be hard hitting and to the point and very real. And it just doesn't make sense to smoke and we are trying very hard to get people healthy."

Sherard says they recognize that quitting is difficult and that's why the health department is offering help. If you're interested in help to quit smoking, you can call, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or you can log onto, WY-dot-QUITNET-dot-COM.

According to the Wyoming Department of Health release, about 20 percent of Wyoming residents currently smoke.

More From K2 Radio