In the last few days, Lisa Scholar has been stopped in the hallways of Highmark's Downtown headquarters by several different employees telling the same story.

"It's time, it's time," they tell Ms. Scholar, manager of Highmark Employee Health Promotion, saying that the 62-cent-per-pack jump in the federal excise tax on cigarettes has become their impetus to quit smoking.

"I can't afford it anymore," one man told Ms. Scholar, whose job includes implementing smoking cessation programs.

"You can't afford it in two ways," she told him: "Health and money."

The federal excise tax on cigarettes jumped from 39 cents to $1.01 per pack.

The increase, combined with a floundering economy, has smoking cessation programs across the country reporting record interest.

On April 1, the day the increase went into effect nationwide, telephone calls to the American Cancer Society's quit lines were up 49 percent over the day before.

National Jewish Health, which operates quit lines for six states, has seen "a true explosion" of calls leading up to the tax increase. Starting March 1, call volumes were about 50 percent higher than a typical March day, said spokesman Adam Dormuth. On April 1, call volume was more than 300 percent higher than usual.

"Quite frankly, the new tax has priced them out," said Mr. Dormuth. "Before now, health was the No. 1 concern. Now, it's the economic impact."

The revenue from the tax increase will go to fund President Barack Obama's initiative to expand health insurance for children.

The U.S. House took a step yesterday toward further regulation of cigarettes, passing a bill that would give the Food and Drug Administration oversight of the marketing and manufacturing of cigarettes.

Highmark, which operates various smoking cessation programs, has seen increased interest from employers who operate programs or distribute information to their employees.

Highmark also saw an increase in interest in its programs in September, when Pennsylvania's smoking ban went into effect in most bars and restaurants. About a year and a half ago, the company banned smoking for employees on its campuses, and watched the percentage of employees who smoked drop from 19 percent to 12 percent.

"It really taught us a lesson in how external factors such as a policy or this imposed tax increase can help motivate someone intrinsically," said Ms. Scholar. "People find this can be the extra help they need."

For those looking to quit smoking, experts advise both persistence and outside support. "It's well known that the average number of tries it takes to quit is seven to 10," Ms. Scholar said. "Don't feel like you need to do this alone."

Without medicines or other help, about 4 percent to 7 percent of people are able to successfully quit smoking on any given attempt, according to the American Cancer Society.

People who use both the National Jewish Health quit lines and nicotine replacement therapies have a success rate of about 37 percent, Mr. Dormuth said.

Pennsylvania residents can find assistance through the state's www.determinedtoquit.com Web site or by calling the state's quit line at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. In partnership with the American Cancer Society, the state has operated the quit line since 2002.

Based on research showing that smoking is at least somewhat price-sensitive, a 62-cent cost increase should result in 92,100 fewer Pennsylvania kids becoming smokers and 44,100 fewer adult smokers in the state, said Holli Senior, deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

"We see this as a huge win for public health," she said.