DENVER -- It seems lots of Coloradans are ready to kick the habit.

The Colorado Quitline is offering free nicotine patches to smokers who want to quit and the response is so huge that the phone lines are getting jammed so they've added other numbers for smokers to call.

Call 1 800 QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669).

Staff from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will be on call at those numbers to temporarily aid Quitline staff by taking telephone messages and forwarding them to the Quitline. The department numbers will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

"The free nicotine patch offer is not time-limited, but ongoing. Anyone who is trying to quit smoking by participating in the Colorado Quitline program, will receive free patches," said Karen DeLeeuw, director of the department's State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership.

She said, since Wednesday, the Quitline has received over 400 calls, noting that the Quitline had arranged for additional operators to respond to callers anticipating a high volume. However, the Quitline was still inundated.

"We are pleased with the overwhelming response we’ve received, because it tells us that there are many smokers who are eager to get help to quit smoking," she said.

The Colorado Quitline is a toll-free, telephone counseling service that connects people who want to quit smoking with trained counselors who can guide and support them through the quitting process. This service is free and available to Colorado residents in both English and Spanish, seven days a week.

The service also is available for the deaf and hard-of-hearing at TTY: 800-659-2656.