Edna’s smoking journey began during her time as a nurse cadet. “On our breaks, almost everyone smoked except for me,” Edna recalls. “I found my breaks were being cut short to cover for others who smoked, so one day I decided to join them. After that, I stopped being asked to cover for anyone.”
For years, Edna kept her smoking a secret from her parents. “My brother once caught me and promised not to tell, but he went straight home and told my dad!”
Edna smoked up to 10 cigarettes a day before deciding it was time to quit. With the help of Yorkshire Smokefree, she used patches to manage cravings and purchased her own vape. “I’ve been staggering my patches to gradually wean off them, and I’ve chosen to continue using my vape. Initially, I was worried about using it longer than planned, but my advisor reassured me that it’s absolutely fine to take things at my own pace.”
The turning point for Edna came when Consultant Ben Kumar gave her a contact card for the service. “I reached out when I was ready, and that support made all the difference.”
While Edna admits she still occasionally thinks about smoking, she’s proud of her ability to talk herself out of it. “For me, quitting was never about the money—it was always about my health. I only wish my dad had been harsher with me about smoking when he found out, but back then it was just the ‘done thing.’”
Edna’s story is a testament to the power of support and determination in creating a smoke-free future. She’s taken control of her health and embraced a life without cigarettes.
