Philip was 14 when he started smoking, and has smoked for the last 50 years. With the help of Yorkshire Smokefree, Philip has now given up smoking for good and is looking forward to spending his extra money.
Do you remember why you started smoking?
I lived at home with parents and five brothers and sisters who were all smokers.
How many cigarettes per day were you smoking on average?
26-30 cigarettes a day.
What were your reasons for quitting?
Health reasons and I just wanted to quit smoking in general.
How did you access stop smoking support?
One to one and I rated the support I received 10 out of 10.
Did you use stop smoking products to help you quit? If yes, how helpful did you find them?
Yes, I used Champix and patches. The Champix gave me really bad nightmares, so I found the nicotine patches helped me the best.
Apart from products, what else helped you to quit and stay smoke free?
My nagging family and work friends, and having grandchildren in my home.
Has your health improved since you quit?
My breathing has improved and I''m sleeping a lot better.
What do you like about not smoking?
Not got around to not liking not smoking yet, still getting my head around not smoking.
Do you know how much money you have saved by not smoking?
Yes, £600 and I have plans to treat myself with the money saved.
What would you say to someone who has recently started smoking, or, if you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self before you smoked that first cigarette?
Don’t do it. Not just for the money but for your health and others around you.
*Stock photography used to accompany this case study.
