At 75, Tom Hammonds decided it was time for a change. After waking up one night with a rapid heartbeat and enduring coughing fits that almost made him sick, he knew smoking was taking a toll on his health. “It really scared me,” he recalls.
Tom’s journey began with Yorkshire Smokefree, where he found the support and tools he needed. At first, he wasn’t sure if he could quit, but once he connected with Stevie, his advisor, and found a product that suited him, his confidence grew.
“I used a vape, and it’s been extremely helpful—just as good as a cigarette,” Tom shares. “I had tried an inhalator before, but it didn’t work for me. Stevie made sure I had what I needed and never just ‘sent me away with products.’ She made me feel at ease every time we met.”
Tom admits quitting wasn’t easy, especially when smoking had been such a constant in his life. He even recalls some fond memories around smoking, like sneaking cigarettes with his mum by the coal fire when his dad was at work, or the days when everyone smoked behind the bike sheds. “Back then, smoking was everywhere,” he says. “There were even ads that said, ‘You can’t be a man unless you smoke Capstan Full Strength.’”
Despite the nostalgia, Tom knew it was time to let go. Four weeks smokefree, he’s already noticing changes. “I’m no longer coughing at night, and the money I used to spend on cigarettes—about £40 a week—is now going into my savings. It’s helping me run the car and save for a holiday.”
When asked about his biggest achievement since quitting, Tom simply says, “I feel a lot better in myself.”
Tom hopes his story inspires others to take the first step toward a smokefree life. “If I can do it, anyone can,” he says with a smile.
Let Tom’s success be your motivation. Request a callback from Yorkshire Smokefree and start your own journey today.
