“I smoked from about 17 until I was 35 and was on 20 a day at the end. I had tried a number of times to quit, succeeding from a few days to 6 months at one stage. As a nurse, I knew all the risks, I gave stop-smoking advice, but retained the habit. I even undertake breathing surveillance for workers in industry and seeing my ‘lung age’ reach 54, when I was only 34, was still not a good enough trigger.
“I started noticing pins and needles in my fingers when smoking more heavily and was aware of the peripheral neuropathy that can result from small vessel damage – this was my cue, so I went cold-turkey
If I could only give one piece of advice it would be this – everyone I talk to who re-starts smoking, has a good excuse. The kids were stressing me… the dog died… I was going through a divorce, tough time in work, lost my job… etc. etc.”
“Whenever I was craving, I’d find myself looking for an excuse; something to blame. My mum was very poorly at one point and I thought this was it – a reason to re-start, but thankfully I relented. There are no excuses that warrant re-starting, it’s just another way of kidding yourself.”
Hi, my name is Oliver, and I’ve been living in Cardiff for just over two months now. I moved here from Austria to take part in an EVS (European Voluntary Service) project, and I’m currently working with a fantastic charity called ASH Wales.
One of my main responsibilities at ASH Wales is supporting their youth project, The Filter. This was actually one of the major reasons I applied for this placement – the opportunity to work closely with young people and contribute to a cause that’s making a real difference.
I’m lucky to live close to my workplace, in shared accommodation with six other young people from different countries. Interestingly, I’m the only guy in the house, living with six girls! It’s been a unique experience, and we’ve built a great bond, even though we’ve only known each other for two months. It’s fascinating to learn how people from other cultures approach everyday life. For example, I’ve discovered that in Spain, it’s common to use scissors to cut food like bacon or pizza – and then just pop them in the dishwasher. It might sound unusual, but I’ve tried it myself, and it’s surprisingly handy!
Most of my time here is spent either with my housemates or my colleagues at work. Before coming to Cardiff, my sending organisation in Austria warned me that I might experience culture shock. However, I haven’t felt anything like that so far. Life in Wales feels quite similar to life in Austria, with a few small differences. For instance, I’ve noticed how incredibly polite people are here – they say “thank you” for almost everything, even in situations where we Austrians might not think to say it.
One cultural experience I won’t forget is the Rugby World Cup. I had no clue about the rules of rugby before coming here, but the passion of the Welsh fans is contagious. Watching a match at the fan zone was an unforgettable experience – the energy and excitement were incredible, especially when Wales was playing.
In my free time, I’ve also started playing football at a nearby sports centre with one of my colleagues. I try to play once a week, although sometimes work and other commitments get in the way.
Volunteering with ASH Wales has been an amazing opportunity to learn, grow, and immerse myself in a new culture. If you’re thinking about taking on an EVS placement or volunteering abroad, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s been a rewarding journey, both professionally and personally, and I’m excited to see what the rest of my time here will bring.
“I started smoking when I was 11, because my grandfather passed away. I’m still currently smoking, but I’ve gone onto the e-cig and joined the commit to quit challenge to cut down.
I’ve just found out I’m pregnant which made me want to quit for the baby’s health. But more so because of the girls, my two I’ve got already. They mean everything and I don’t want them brought up around smoking. Otherwise they’ll pick up the bad habit and I don’t want that because of their health.
I also want to save money to take the girls on holiday, just do more things with them, go on day trips.” (Shardine has saved over £25 since joining the Commit to Quit challenge – after three weeks of cutting back).
I don’t actually crave a cigarette and I don’t crave the nicotine. I just do it because it helps. If I wanted, I could go without a cigarette all day. But because of my stress levels, depression and suffering with post natal it just triggers.
“My name is Marc, and I started smoking around the age of 13 or 14. My parents were firmly against smoking and often lectured me about its dangers. Despite their warnings, peer pressure eventually led me down this path.
At school, many of my friends smoked, and though I initially resisted, the feeling of being left out became overwhelming. One day, I gave in and accepted a cigarette. That decision marked the start of my addiction, which continued until I was 17.”
What Inspired Me to Quit
“My turning point came during my second year of college when I started a placement with ASH Wales to develop my skills as a youth worker.
My role involved creating and delivering sessions to young people across Wales about the dangers of smoking. I visited schools, pupil referral units, youth centres, and other places where young people gathered.
But as I stood there encouraging others to avoid smoking or quit, I felt like a hypocrite-I was still a smoker. The more I learned about the harms of smoking through my work, the more I realised I wanted to stop.”
How I Quit
“I decided to try using an electronic cigarette to help me quit. It satisfied my cravings for nicotine and kept me occupied in the same way smoking did.
To my surprise, it worked! I’ve now been using my electronic cigarette for nearly a year and have completely stopped smoking. While I’ve swapped one habit for another, it feels like a step in the right direction. I no longer feel hypocritical when encouraging young people to quit smoking.”
Life After Quitting
“Since quitting, I’ve become more involved with ASH Wales, particularly through a project called ‘The Filter.’ I’ve had the chance to design my own sessions about smoking and deliver them to young people across Wales.
This work has not only benefitted others but has also helped me grow personally and professionally. My skills as a youth worker have developed immensely, and I feel proud of the positive impact I’m making in my community.”
Marc’s Advice to Others
“My journey has taught me that quitting smoking is possible, even when it feels daunting. If you’re thinking about quitting, find a method that works for you, whether it’s vaping, nicotine replacement therapy, or another approach.
And remember-you don’t have to do it alone. There are resources and support out there, just like the ones I found through ASH Wales. Quitting is worth it, not just for your health but for the sense of pride and accomplishment it brings.”
“I gave up smoking on the 1st October 2012 with the NHS Champions for Health programme. I gave up from day one rather than cut down of the 6 month period. I gave up for a number of reasons, my wife died almost 4 years ago at the time my daughter was 14. Basically I wanted to be around to see her graduate in the future. I also indulge in a few sports, my main one is Fencing (Epee) and am part of the Welsh Veterans Fencing, so getting to fence for my country at my age I needed stay reasonable fit the older I get, so had to give up the smoking.”
“I must have been around 14 when I started to smoke, I am now 60 so I had been smoking for around 46 years. I consider myself lucky to be able to still run around after that much time smoking. There is also the financial cost. Since I gave up I should have saved over £2000.”
“I was smoking between 10 and 20 a day and knew I had to give up but I couldn’t do it on my own. The help I got from my midwife Julie was brilliant. She came to the house and really helped me through it. She told me that we would set a date to quit and helped me prepare all week for that day. I got an inhaler and patches and within two days I’d quit and I haven’t smoked since but she still calls me up to see how I’m doing. The readings on the carbon monoxide monitor used to scare me because of what was going through to the baby – the reading was 18 before but is now down to 2. Now I can’t even stand the smell of smoke!”
“I would encourage other mums-to-be to just give it a go, but they need support and someone to help them through it. The MAMSS project has a great approach that’s so supportive. I’m really scared though of falling off the wagon. Especially after the baby is born with all the stress and worry of a new-born baby. I don’t want to smoke again but I I’m worried because that’s what happened after my first child was born. I think support for mums post-natal is just as important as before the baby is born.”
