The top three new year’s resolutions are to quit smoking, lose weight and handle money better. An Iowa City-based hotline can help with that first resolution. For smokers who are serious about quitting, the experts say the key to success is adequate preparation. Esther Baker, at the Iowa Tobacco Research Center, says Quitline Iowa can help with that, now, before the new year arrives. Baker says telephone counselors can help equip smokers with the proper tools and information they need to be successful. Quitline counselors can offer callers smoking cessation services over the phone. Callers can also request free material to be sent in the mail, or referrals to smoking cessation resources in their community, including support groups, clinics and consultants. Counselors will offer to call the wanna-be ex-smoker to check on their progress, as Baker says research shows a person who receives phone counseling during the quitting process is twice as likely to stay smoke-free as someone who tries to quit on their own. You can reach the hotline from 8 AM to midnight tollfree any day at 866-U-Can