NORWICH – With the start of the new year, the national Center for Disease Control is encouraging people to make quitting smoking their new year’s resolution.

The CDC says seven out of 10 smokers make a pledge to quite every Jan. 1, but many try several times before they actually succeed. Among current U.S. adult cigarette smokers, 68.8 percent report that they want to quit completely.

While Chenango County lacks a program committed solely to smoking cessation and tobacco use, the county health department is making smokers aware of other options available to help.

“Quitting is one of the best things someone can do for their health and the health of the people around them,” said Darlene Gramstead, Director of Patient Services for the Chenango County Health Department. “Smokers need to take the first step to quit. They have to set the date, set their goals, and stick to those goals.”

In Chenango County, the number of adults who smoke is alarmingly high, exceeding the statewide percentage. According to the 2013 Chenango Health Department community health assessment, the percentage of adults who smoke reached 25 percent in the county, whereas the New York State average is only 17 percent.

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death across the state, causing illness expenses in New York to exceed $8 billion annually and results in more than 25,400 deaths.