When Gov. Chet Culver signed legislation last year placing another $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes, the mood was festive.

"With signing this bill, we are sending a bold message across the state and around the nation that Iowa takes the health care of people, especially of kids, seriously," Culver said at his Statehouse signing ceremony in March.

Evidently, the fact that the state stands to make an extra $130 million in tax revenue for the fiscal year that began in July, 2007 was just a collateral bonus

At least lawmakers and supporters of the tax sought to help pay for cessation materials with some of that money. That help has arrived in the form of free nicotine patches and gum. Under the program, callers to Quitline Iowa -- a kick-the-habit counseling hotline -- can receive two weeks' worth of gum or patches.

"This is a significant step in saving lives and reducing the burden of health care costs to our state," said Tom Newton, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health.

While a two-week supply doesn't sound like much, the Quitline Iowa was swamped with calls the first week of 2008. According to a National Jewish Medical and Research Center press release, nearly 2,500 Iowans called Quitline Iowa during the first week. That's more than half of the total calls Quitline Iowa received in all of fiscal year 2007. Quitline Iowa also states that all but nine of those callers have asked about the free gum and patches.

Taking that initial step toward quitting can be difficult for many smokers. The freebies have a lot more people taking that first step.

The bad news here is Quitline Iowa is now being administered out of Colorado.

National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, Colo. was awarded the 3 1/2 year, $6.8 million contract. Quitline Iowa was started at the Iowa Tobacco Research Center at the University of Iowa College of Public Health six years ago under a $200,000 contract with the Iowa Department of Public Health.

It was awarded the contract in subsequent years without competition, until this year.

The Colorado facility didn't have the best score in the bidding process, but was awarded the contract based on a combination of cost, plus scoring. The University of Iowa scored fifth out of nine bidders, just under National Jewish.

You would think the University of Iowa would get some bonus points for keeping jobs -- an equivalent of 12.5 full-time positions -- in the state.

Despite the lost contract, the situation is positive if more Iowans shuck their smokes.

Legislators were wise to divert a portion of the money to smoking cessation. The freebies are a big hit. Thousands of calls from Iowans who wish to quit are evidence of that.