A smoke-free life starts with a smoke-free day
We had regular sessions with a stopsmoking adviser. Each appointment gave us personalised guidance, encouragement, and accountability and we found that having someone check in… made a huge difference.
To mark National No Smoking Day, we spoke to Wirral resident, Sean who recently accessed support to stop smoking after nearly 40 years.
This year’s theme - ‘A smoke-free life starts with a smoke-free day’ - highlights how quitting often begins with a single decision and one day of commitment – a step that can lead to lasting change and better health for individuals and those around them.
Sean said:
In 2009 I was diagnosed with a serious health condition and, despite being advised to stop smoking, [myself and my partner] both carried on.
In 2024 I attended a social housing conference in Liverpool. One presentation focused on the high proportion of social housing tenants and their families who smoke, the impact on health and, frighteningly, the cost. It was delivered in a very matter-of-fact way, but one point that really hit home was the effect of smoking on pets. Although we always smoked away from our cats, smoke still travels on clothes and circulates around the home.
Sean said when he returned home, he discussed the presentation with his partner, along with how expensive smoking had become.
In Wirral support to stop smoking is provided by ABL Wirral, funded by the council’s Public Health service.
We agreed it was time to take action. We visited the ABL Wirral website and, after registering, an adviser contacted us to explain the support and stop smoking products available.
We had regular sessions with a stopsmoking adviser, who helped us understand our smoking patterns, tailor stop smoking medication to our needs, identify our triggers, and develop practical strategies to manage cravings. Each appointment gave us personalised guidance, encouragement, and accountability and we found that having someone check in, review our progress, and help us plan for potential setbacks made a huge difference. We also supported each other at home, using the advice we’d been given to change routines, break old habits, and stay motivated on harder days.
Alongside this, we used the NHS Quit Smoking app to track our smoke‑free journey, monitor improvements to our health, and log cravings as they happened, which helped us spot patterns and stay focused on our goals.
Sean said a big part of smoking for him and his partner was habit – certain situations triggered smoking simply because that’s what they’d always done.
We found other ways to fill our time, and while there have been occasional urges, they’re becoming increasingly rare and pass quickly.
We’re no longer breathless and both feel we have more energy. We haven’t gained weight, as we maintained a reasonably healthy diet, and food tastes better. Our overall health and wellbeing has improved significantly.
Financially, the difference has been noticeable. We’re now able to spend the money we once used on cigarettes on other things - including extra treats for our cats!
Wanting to quit is one thing - we tried many times over the decades. You need to know it’s truly your time and have the right mindset. We made excuses for years, setting quit dates and then justifying changing them. ABL offer a service that provides support throughout the process, and if you relapse, you can always try again.
Smoking remains the UK’s biggest cause of preventable death and disability and it kills two in three longterm‑ smokers and contributes to 16 cancers, COPD, heart disease and dementia.
If you're looking for support to help stop smoking, or want to speak to someone for advice, if you live or work in Wirral you can contact local stop smoking service ABL Wirral.
