"Quitting smoking has been one of the best things we've ever done. We have more time, more money and more energy."
              Mel and James from North Wales

Quitline 0800 00 22 00 ...it's your call

QUIT for their children

Michael and Sue Dargan from Bolton, decided to quit smoking together after being nagged by their kids.

Firefighter, Michael, 45, said: "Our biggest incentive for quitting was our kids.  They'd seen a presentation at school about the risks associated with smoking and nagged us to quit.  You hear lots of messages about smoking being bad for your health, but you suddenly take a lot more notice when it's your own kids telling you. We wanted to set a good example to them both."

QUIT to pay for nursing college

Alison Cherry and Gareth Hammonds from Paisley quit smoking when they found out they had been accepted to nursing college.

Alison (23) said: "I couldn't afford to go to university if I carried on smoking. I had to choose between the two so I chose nursing!"

Gareth (25) said: "Alison and I worked hard to get our places at university and we realised once we became nurses we would have fulfilled our dream, but as health professionals we didn't want to be smoking and coming back from our tea breaks smelling of cigarettes."

QUIT to help her daughter
Jean Day, 67, quit her 20-a-day habit to support her daughter who had been advised by a dentist to stop smoking.

Jean said: “I’m so pleased with myself for achieving this after smoking for 52 years! I’m much better off financially now - I realized if I hadn’t smoked for so long I could have bought my council house by now. I’ve also spent a lot of time decorating to disguise the staining caused by cigarette smoke. Now I have lots of spare money to treat myself.”

QUIT as a couple
John and Elaine Lambert quit smoking together after 40 years.  The couple who both had 40-a-day habits quit using nicotine replacement therapy gum and lozenges and attended their local stop smoking clinic.

Elaine said:” I had to quit to improve my health, but I couldn’t have done it without the support from John.”

John said: “We can both breathe more easily now and have more energy to play with our young grandchildren.”

QUIT smoking for his baby daughter
Des Wooley, 34, quit smoking for his daughter Kylah.  He used NRT patches and inhalator and had the support of his wife and stop smoking advisor.

QUIT after a heart attack
Brian Burns, quit smoking after a heart attack gave him the wake up call he needed to lead a healthier lifestyle. Brian was named Quitter of the Year 2006

Brian said: "I'm hoping my success will send out a message to others that it’s never too late to stop smoking. I'm in my 60's and I can't believe the difference it’s made to me. For the first time I can consider going on a long haul flight - when I was a smoker I could never consider flying too far because I couldn't manage without a cigarette for too long.”

QUIT to get fitter
Julie Robinson, 39, quit smoking after realising she couldn’t even mop the floor at work because she was so out of breath.  Julie was named Runner-Up Quitter of the Year 2006.

Julie said, “ Everyone comments on the way I look now that I’ve quit. My spots have gone, my skin is really clear and I even get compliments about my sparkling eyes. I’m exercising regularly and have more energy; I can run without getting out of breath. With the money I’ve saved I treat myself occasionally to new clothes and make-up. There are so many benefits to stopping smoking.”

QUIT a social habit
Albertina Lloyd, 25, quit smoking after her friend’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer.  She was a social smoker and smoked up to 40 cigarettes a night when she was out drinking with friends.

Albertina said: “I always found it hard to resist smoking after a couple of drinks. The QUIT counselling service was brilliant. I could email from work and get tips on how to resist the cravings when I was in the pub later. I do Thai boxing and once I’d stopped smoking I immediately noticed how much healthier I was, I didn’t get out of breath so easily and was able to practice for longer.”

QUIT with her husband
Lynda Munns, 44, quit a 30-year smoking habit with the support of her husband and teenage children.

Lynda said: “My husband Dave and I decided to join a local support group. We’d tried quitting before and I’d always been the one who’d cracked, but this time I was determined, and I finally did it! I feel cleaner, energetic and have more money in my pocket and now I can laugh without coughing.  We’ve even saved money on our life insurance now we’re non-smokers! I was so desperate to give up that I feel almost elated every day and most importantly my children are extremely proud of me. I will never be a smoker again!”

QUIT after a health scare
Douglas Minto, 56, quit a 40-year smoking habit when he was rushed to hospital.

QUIT in memory of her mum
Candis Baker, 28, quit smoking after seeing her mum die from emphysema. She quit with her boyfriend when they returned from a backpacking holiday, and was named Quitter of the Year 2005.

QUIT to take his daughter on holiday
Glenn Casson, 47, stopped smoking so he could afford to take his family on holiday after his daughter pleaded to go abroad.

QUIT to save his leg
Donald Collins, 73, quit a 50-year smoking habit after serious health warnings from his doctor.

Donald said: “I’m proof that it’s never too late to quit.  The doctor warned me I could lose my leg if I didn’t stop smoking, so I stopped! I feel so much better now I’ve done it and I tell people “If I can do it, you can.” I know it’s one of the best thing I’ve ever done.”

QUIT for his family
Russell Welsh, 39, quit after his wife became pregnant and he was diagnosed with a rare disease that may eventually lead to blindness.

QUIT to support her sick husband
Susan Mortimore, 50, quit while her husband was in hospital getting treatment for cancer.

QUIT so he could play with his grandson
Eddie Couttie, 57, quit smoking for his grandchildren after a 40-year habit.

QUIT for her daughters
Claire Howes, 41, quit smoking for her three daughters.

QUIT for her young son
Lucy Twigge, 33, decided to quit after starting a new job on a neonatal ward at her local hospital, and for the sake of her son’s health.

Lucy said “Starting my job was definitely an incentive to quit. I felt so guilty looking after premature babies while I smelt of smoke, breathing all over them.  And my doctor had warned me that smoking was affecting my son George’s health. I’m so glad I made the decision to quit, and my success inspired my husband to stop smoking too.”

QUIT to save her life
Julie Almond, 34, Previously a 30-a day smoker Julie started smoking due to peer pressure. A blood clot to her lungs shocked her into stopping smoking.

Julie said: “I was rushed in to hospital with pains in my chest and coughing up blood. Doctors told me that I had only been using my left lung due to the blood clot. If I had continued smoking it would have killed me. I have children who need me and I am just thankful to be alive.

QUIT for his partner and baby
Adam Clay 25, quit smoking so that his baby could grow up in a smoke free home. He then inspired friends and family to quit.

QUIT for Rugby
16 year old Steven O'Keefe, from Huddersfield had smoked since he was 12. He finally quit to improve his rugby and to please his girlfriend. Stopping smoking helped Steven to win Player of the Year 2004.

QUIT for son in America
Lydia Richardson, 63, from Sunderland was determined to visit her son in America, but the only way she could afford the trip was to stop smoking!

Sadly many people close to Lydia died from smoking related illnesses - her first husband from Emphysema, both her sister and partner from heart attacks and her brother-in-law from lung cancer.

She said: "Not only did I see my son and daughter-in-law, I also visited Graceland, a life-long dream, thanks to quitting smoking."

QUIT for children
Lesley Roberts, 40 stopped smoking after 24 years for the sake of her two young children and rewarded herself with a Yorkshire Terrier Pup!

She said: "On turning 40 I decided I'd had enough, with the help of my two children I stopped smoking. I can now play games with my children and the pup without getting out of breath! My mum and best-friend have followed my example and have also stopped smoking.

Leicestershire Teacher wins Quitter of the Year 2004!
When Sarah Thorold, 31, was caught smoking by her pupils after telling them of the dangers of smoking - she knew she had to quit! She was named Quitter of the Year 2004.

She said: "My life has changed dramatically. The death of my best friend's father from lung cancer was a shock. I supported my friend during her quitting process and knew I had to quit too. I feel that smoking is not worth it anymore and I just wouldn't swop the benefits of quitting."

Elvis Tribute Performer QUITS
Geoffrey Van Den Heede, 60 of Wales used to smoke up to 80 cigarettes a day even whilst performing at packed out gigs. Ill health and losing his mother, father, and younger brother to smoking was the stark warning he needed to help him quit.

Geoffrey said: "My voice was suffering, I was coughing up blood. My doctor warned me that smoking could eventually kill me. Now with the money saved from stopping smoking, I bought enough gold rings to wear on all my fingers and a new costume to use as part of my act."

Dad QUITS for his daughter
Nick Wiseman, 30, of Suffolk, was addicted to smoking for 18 years. Witnessing her Grandad die of lung cancer distressed Sophia to the point where she feared for her own father's life.

Nick said: "My daughter was all the incentive I needed. I could not bear to see her crying over my smoking habit any longer, so I quit. I have learned the hard way that life is for living. With the money saved I bought my dream car I am now looking forward to taking my family on holiday to Euro Disney!"

QUIT for his partner and baby
Christopher Brooks, 28 started smoking as a teenager and was soon smoking 80 a day when out with friends, but he was shocked into quitting when he discovered that he couldn't climb stairs without becoming breathless.

Christopher said: “I always believed that quitting was impossible. I enjoyed smoking and all my friends smoked. It was my partner’s pregnancy, as well as concern for my health, that gave me the will-power to stop.”

QUIT for her daughters

Seeing the dramatic effects of lung cancer and having four nagging daughters were the incentives needed to make Sharon Reid from Brighton to stop smoking.

Both her bronchitis and pleurisy have disappeared Sharon said "With the money saved my family are off to Cyprus this year to attend my daughters wedding.

QUIT to treat his wife
Kenneth Bennett, 73 of South Glamorgan is proof that it is never too late to reap the benefits of a smoke free life. After 42 years of smoking, he quit.

Kenneth said: “I began smoking in 1953 after coming out of the army. The turning point was a trip to America in 1996 when I realised that smoking was no longer a socially acceptable past-time. I've now set up a direct debit account with my cigarette money and plan to take my wife on a round-the-world-tour!"

QUIT for her baby
Lynne Humphreys, 30, of Cumbria was named Quitter of the Year 2003. Lynne quit smoking when her thirteen month old son, Kavan was admitted in to hospital with breathing difficulties. Despite nurses reassuring her that her smoking was in no way responsible for his ill-health, Lynne made a commitment to stop smoking.

She said: I quit smoking for my little one, Kavan. I want to stay healthy and fit in order to be there for him in later life - So this is for him!

QUIT in memory of his pal
Douglas Munro, 50, of Glasgow, quit his 31-year smoking habit after the tragic death of a lifelong friend.

Douglas said: “I tried giving up before but never managed to find the will-power. My best friend’s tragic death was a stark reminder of how precarious life can be."

QUIT for her sister
Bridget Mohan from Coventry quit smoking in the hope that she could donate a kidney for her sister who needed a transplant. Even when Bridget knew she was unable to help she did not resort to smoking.

"The disappointment almost made me reach for the cigarettes again. But if I couldn't help Julie, I was determined not to damage my health any more." As encouragement, Bridget's partner put the price of a packet of cigarettes in a Quit Tin every day. By the end of the first year there was enough money for the down payment on double-glazing.

But the best part for Bridget was in terms of her health ."I'm totally free from the chronic eczema that's plagued me for years," she says. "The skin specialists can't explain why exactly, but I'm drawing my own conclusions!"

QUIT and get fit
Karen Griffiths from Caerphilly became a heavy smoker when she was tragically widowed at 23, with one young son and another on the way.

She tried to give up many times without success - until four years ago, when she announced publicly that she was quitting.

"My confidence has grown enormously since then. I joined a gym and aerobics class, which I loved so much I went on to train as an aerobics teacher. I've got so much energy my friends call me Pentathlon Woman. Life's so much better without cigarettes!"

QUIT to save her husband's life
Grace Williams from Hereford decided to quit when she was 58 and sitting by her husband's beside in an Intensive Care Unit. ”I knew if he pulled through he would not survive much longer if he carried on smoking and if I continued to smoke then he would never be able to kick the habit himself," she said. "After explaining my plan to my daughter and son-in-law they added their support by agreeing to stop smoking too."

As long term smokers they all really suffered in the beginning. It took them quite a while to stop craving cigarettes but now they are reaping the benefits. Having never been inside a gym before, they now go three times a week!

QUIT for your kids

Carol Hayes from Liverpool was pestered by her children to stop smoking. Carol smoked between 20 - 30 a day for 25 years. Her children's concern was Carol's main reason to quit. Carol soon realised she couldn't use stress as a reason to have "just one" cigarette as there are always stressful situations. After 4-5 attempts Carol successfully quit. She decided to write a poem about her experiences and now her GP has copied the poem and is distributing it to other young Mums who smoke.

Quitting Saved Dog's Life

"I had never considered stopping smoking until we wanted to rescue a stray dog we fell in love with when we went to Greece. We knew unless we brought him home he would be killed with all the other dogs at the end of the holiday season and I surprised myself that I even thought of quitting," admitted Cheryl Dinning.

While on holiday in Greece, a Yorkshire couple found a stray dog who would be killed unless they saved enough money to rescue it. The only way Steve Hague and Cheryl Dinning thought they could save money was to quit smoking.

Both smokers for many years, they found it difficult to quit at first. The main thing that kept them going was thinking of the dog in quarantine kennels and feeling he was suffering more than them. Now, both Steve and Cheryl have found their health has improved and enjoy taking their dog for long walks.

"Since we've stopped smoking we have so much more money to spend and we both feel healthier and happier," Cheryl said.