Helping hand to quit the habit

Today is national No Smoking Day when smokers are encouraged to stub out cigarettes. Catherine Scott speaks to one woman about how she gave up and what difference it has made to her life.
Adele ClarkAdele Clark
Adele Clark

It’s hard to believe that keen rambler Adele Clark, who regularly completes 16-mile walks, once had a 30-a-day smoking habit and couldn’t even get through a visit to the supermarket without nipping out for a cigarette.

The 31-year-old, who this year marks three years of being smoke-free, has decided to share how she successfully stopped smoking to mark national No Smoking Day.

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Street Scene Coordinator Adele, started smoking socially at university in 1999. What began as the occasional cigarette, gradually increased to a regular habit.

“Initially I was a social smoker but then the pressures of my studies led to me smoking more regularly. Before I decided to quit I was smoking 30 cigarettes a day,” explains Adele.

With the cost of cigarettes increasing, Adele was struggling to afford to sustain her habit and attempted to quit with patches. She found it very difficult and was unable to stop on her own.

It wasn’t until her employers, Wakefield Council, organised a company health day that she had the wake-up call she needed to seek support to quit.

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“Three years ago my employer organised a health day, which was attended by the Wakefield Stop Smoking Service. We each undertook a fitness test and my breathing wasn’t as good as it should have been. It was worrying and a real eye-opener. My company was offering the Stop Smoking workplace service and I knew that this was my opportunity to do something about quitting.

“I’d found it difficult to access stop smoking support services in the past as they were during work hours and didn’t fit in with my other commitments. The great thing about the workplace service was not only that it was convenient; there was great support from both the adviser and my colleagues too.”

Research shows that smokers are four times more likely to give up and remain smoke-free with professional support than if they try to quit on their own.

With the support of her dedicated adviser, Adele opted to use Champix to help her quit. Despite some challenging times, Adele hasn’t touched a cigarette since joining the programme and has discovered a passion for walking.

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“I’ve been smoke-free for three years now and I haven’t touched a single cigarette since I quit. My lifestyle has completely changed. Although I put weight on after I quit, I slimmed down and I’m in better shape than ever now I’m smoke-free. I’m a keen rambler, regularly undertaking 16-mile walks. I would never have been able to consider attempting anything so exertive when I smoked as I would have struggled with my breathing.

“There have been many benefits to quitting, my breathing is now fantastic, the whites of my eyes look brighter and I have a healthier appearance. I also started to put the money away I would have spent on cigarettes and built up enough savings to put a deposit down on a new car.

“I think that when people try to stop smoking they try to make other big lifestyle changes too; they should focus solely on quitting to give themselves the best chance.”

Free services available for all ages

The theme of this year’s No Smoking Day is Swap Fags for Swag which looks at what smokers will gain when they quit – as well as improved health, they’ll have extra cash to spend on whatever they like.

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In 2011/2012 Wakefield Stop Smoking Service helped 3,238 smokers quit. A range of free services are available to suit all ages and needs including group and one-to-one sessions. People wanting to quit will receive up to eight weeks support from a stop smoking adviser. The services is also holding a number of Pledge to Quit events.

Anyone looking to quit can visit smokefree.nhs.uk