I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to quitting smoking.
I’ve stopped loads of times.
It’s the staying stopped that I’ve always found tricky.
But this January 1st was the first in many years where I didn’t have to make a resolution to ditch the fags for good.
By the time the new year came around, I already had a solid block of smoke-free time under my belt.
Quitting cigarettes is one of the most common resolutions people make as they gear up for a brand new year.
It’s not hard to understand why.
We all know (smokers, more than most) how bad they are for our health. Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the UK.
And it’s not just our lungs that take a battering from the devil sticks – smoking is a leading cause of at least 15 other types of cancer.
But I’m not here to tell you what you already know.
You’ve seen the terrifying photos on the packaging of your preferred brand.
Your GP has given you The Talk.
And frankly there is nothing more irritating than a smug former smoker who has ditched fags and taken up preaching.
A story of stops and starts
I’m in no position to lecture anybody.
I’ve stopped and started so many times that it would be like testing fate to declare that I’ve finally kicked the habit for good.
A few years ago I was evangelical about my non-smoking status.
I told anybody who’d listen (including the friends who were trying to enjoy a quiet cigarette in peace) that it was SO EASY to quit and I couldn’t believe it had taken me so long.
You can guess what happened next.
One long hen weekend in Benidorm later, and I was soon back to my usual twenty a day.
For those who have never smoked, the decision to spend eye-watering amounts of money on such a destructive habit seems totally bonkers.
And it is.
But once you get started, it’s notoriously difficult to stop.
Not because nicotine withdrawal is particularly intense (after all, nobody wakes in the middle of the night with a desire to smoke) but because of all the daily rituals that are formed around the lighting up of a cigarette.
Smoking and me – a cigarette for every occasion
For me, it was that first cigarette in the morning that I’d have with a cup of tea.
And the ones I’d smoke when I was writing.
Then all the ones that came after meals; and the ones I enjoyed with a drink or three on a night out.
Forget Hallmark – there truly was a cigarette for every occasion.
Of all the cigarettes I smoked, I think the ones at times of stress were my favourite.
Smoking during those moments seemed like a practical way to deal with unwanted emotions.
This month sees new sessions on the harms caused by tobacco to mental health
IMPACT: Smoking and Mental Health
Sessions on 20 and 26 January
Find out how to register at https://t.co/5FM0gW5aiZ#Mentalhealth #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #Training #Free pic.twitter.com/N3lCWWW7rW— ASH Scotland (@ASHScotland) January 6, 2022
It’s nonsense, obviously.
Of all the nasty chemicals and components that make up a cigarette, none are proven to provoke feelings of calm.
A hot bath with a few drops of lavender oil would work better.
Or gin, if the situation calls for it.
Stopping smoking gets more likely with every attempt
In recent months, whenever I’ve found myself feeling nostalgic about those stress-relieving cigarettes, I remember a quote from Allen Carr’s Easy Way To Stop Smoking book.
He makes the annoyingly sensible point that smoking to get relief is like wearing shoes that are too tight just so you get to enjoy the sensation of taking them off.
It goes without saying that it’s easy to be a non-smoker if you never started in the first place.
Thankfully, smoking rates have been steadily declining since the fug-filled 1950’s.
In Scotland, around 19% of all adults smoke cigarettes. Dundee’s rate is the highest in the country, with 24.5% of people smoking regularly.
Can Scotland banish smoking without a New Zealand-style ban?
For those like me with a few failed attempts under their belt, there are reasons to be hopeful.
Your chances of stopping for good increase with every attempt you make.
Just because it didn’t work last time doesn’t mean you are chained to them forever.
And – without wanting to be a bore – the benefits are undeniable.
Good luck with stopping smoking – and stock up on biscuits
I have to admit I did feel a sense of smugness last week when the thundersnow swept across Scotland.
If I was still smoking, my habit would have forced me out into the cold, speed-puffing and miserable.
In theory, I should have a lot more disposable cash to hand too.
My stop smoking app tells me I’ve saved £1,231.17 so far.
I think most of that has gone on chocolate biscuits and heating bills because it’s certainly not in my bank account.
But at least it’s not been spent on torturing my lungs.
If you are one of the many people who has decided that 2022 is the year you quit: good for you and best of luck.
And if you are not, chances are you will know a smoker who is.
Be good to them.
Don’t remind them of all the times they have tried and failed before.
Just cheer their efforts on and offer them a biscuit.
