Quitting smoking – A personal story
As someone who has never smoked a single cigarette it is quite easy to stand in judgement, telling other people, from those who chain smoke, to those who just enjoy an occasional social drag, why it is that they should quit. But I feel that would be both sanctimonious and pious, and frankly, I am neither. I do however, have a personal story of someone who used vaping as a way to give up smoking after a 30 year addiction that had seen him smoke more than 30 a day, every single day, and that it the story of my husband Peter. I’m really proud of him,and believe that his story shows that anyone can give up, with a combination of determination and sheer willpower. Did you try doing something similar, but you like to share it on an anonymous platform? Then use Doe for that to stay anonymous when writing and sharing your intriguing life stories safely.
Pete’s story
Pete started smoking as a teenager, when James Dean with a cigarette was still the absolute epitome of cool. Cigarettes were cheaper then, and you could always easily buy a single cigarette at school from someone behind the bike sheds. Pete often His intake steadily increased, and neither breathing problems due to asthma, or the smoking ban that led to smokers being made to take the habit outside led to any thoughts of quitting.
In 2008, Pete’s mother, Rita, was diagnosed with Lung cancer. It was terminal, stage 4, and she died just four months later. Rita had also been a life long smoker, and still smoked crafty cigarettes as she was dying, not able to give up the very thing that was to end her life so prematurely. Pete adored his mom, and was by far a heavier smoker than Rita ever had been, but still he did not quit, despite my growing fears for his health. Our son Joe was just four months old when his grandmother died at 55, but her stolen life did not even tempt Pete to cut down.
But sometimes something has to give, and, finally in January 2014, something did happen that finally prompted Peter to finally try to quit. Joe was now five and idolised his dad. Pete had never smoked in our home and had tried to keep his habit away from Joe, but that hadn’t stopped Joe picking up a pen and telling us he was ‘smoking a nasty’ like dad. Pete was horrified. He had been doing some research into vaping and felt that this could be a way of quitting that might just work for him. (You can find some similar research here.)
He started with a vaping kit and alternated this with actual cigarettes, which cut his intake down to less than a pack of 20 per day, for the first time in 20 years. He then further reduced, so that actual cigarettes were limited to a pack of 10 per day, which had a great impact financially as the cost of cigarettes continued to soar with every new Budget. Eventually the cigarettes were gone – this took less than a month, which was pretty incredible, and habits like getting up in the night for a quick drag, or leaving a restaurant between courses all disappeared – for good as it turned out.
With cigarettes gone, Pete packed up the vaping kit and went cold turkey. It was not easy, but the introduction of vaping had made the process slightly more painless, and within another month, Pete was a non smoker. That was March 2014, and he has remained that way. It is sometimes hard for me to now remember that he had ever smoked, let alone been someone who had a really heavy habit.
If you are struggling to quit, or have been considering it, I would definitely recommend vaping as a way to cut down both your cigarette intake and costs, and as an effective way to quit. You can find a range of information about vaping, health benefits, research and e-cigarettes at https://www.vapemate.co.uk/ which may give you a little more food for thought.
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19 Comments
Anna
Such a thought provoking post. Well done to your husband for giving up.
Michael
Giving up smoking is never easy, I quit over 30 years ago and can still fancy a cigarette sometimes when I smell them, fair play to Pete for giving up.
Tara
Congrats to your husband for giving up smoking, can’t have been easy!
Charli Bruce
I have given up smoking three times before, the last time I did it with an e-cig which actually made me very ill. Because I got so ill I eventually went back to smoking but not as much as I used to. Vaping is something that interests me but I am so worried about it because its the same sort of set up as the e-cig just a different concept as its a vape. Well done to Pete for giving up, he must be very proud of himself x
Natasha Mairs
I have only ever smoked a few times when I was 17, but it’s not my thing. Rather spend my money on chocolate and books. I do now a lot of people though that have stopped smoking and now vape instead
theCuriousPixie (@theCuriousPixie)
I’m like you, never smoked so find the whole addiction things hard to understand. Well done to your hubby though, that’s fantastic!
Jenny
I gave up smoking a few years ago before Vaping existed and it was hard work, but I did it. It’s great that your husband found something to help him.
Rhian Westbury
I think you’re right when you’ve never smoked you don’t know how hard it can be to stop x
WhatLauraLoves
I totally agree that non smokers dont understand how hard it is for smokers to give up. My hubby has smoked for years and I’d love him to give up but its not that easy! xxx
Jess
Wow, he did so well – you’re right to be proud of him! I’ve never smoked myself, but my dad has tried to quit several times over the years. The most success he’s had has been with an e-cig, although he broke and immediately went back to the cigarettes…
Rachel
He has done so well, you should be rightly proud of him, it is so hard to give up x
Hannah
He has done brilliantly! It is so hard to give up I don’t think people realise x
Freya Farrington
Ah amazing, well done peter! and I’m sure being supportive is what is the best help!
Linda Hobbis
It’s such a dreadful habit. Thank God your hubby is doing so well. My dad has had prostate cancer and a heart attack but he still won’t give up his pipe. We’ve given up nagging him now (he’s 77) because it won’t make a blind bit of difference. I do think vaping makes it easier to cut down though.
Sabina Sher
Wow! How incredible to go from smoking so many a day & making the transition to keep going & cutting down! Go him!
Jessica McDonnell
Congratulations to your husband for giving up smoking. I’ve seen many relatives struggle to give up smoking.
Jemma
Giving up can be the ultimate challenge. Well done to your husband.
Kira
I think it’s really great to share his story to help motivate others to try and quit! My mum had been smoking since she was 16 and she managed to stop even after everything she tried didn’t work! Just shows that anyone can do it!
Laura H
Great to share this story. Hopefully it will inspire many more. I’ve heard a lot about how vaping helps people quit so I hope more people jump on the bandwagon!