How quit smoking

It was not easy. In fact it was very, very difficult. But I was determined to quit because it was getting too expensive, I had a terrible hacking cough every morning and I couldn't perform my keep fit regime without nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

So I devised my own way of giving up the terrible smoking habit. I began by stopping my first smoke of the day at breakfast time. I really missed that cigarette in the morning, but I knew that if I weakened and smoked it, I might as well give up the idea of quitting. Once I got through that first hour of the day, I told myself that as I'd gone an hour without a cigarette, I could go another hour. I gritted my teeth and went without for the hour. I repeated telling myself every hour that as I'd gone this far without one, I could go another hour. At the end of the day, I'd gone a whole day without a smoke.

When I woke up the next morning I told myself that as I'd gone a whole day without a smoke, I could do it again. The most difficult times of the day were meal times as a cigarette always tasted better after a meal. That week was the longest week I can remember as I was continually watching the clock, waiting for the hour to pass so that I could tell myself I'd been another hour without a smoke. At the weekend when my friends and I were at the pub, it was extremely hard. Seeing other people smoking was really bad for me, but I dug in and suffered. The best part was when someone offered me a cigarette and I said, 'No, thanks, I don't smoke.' I realised the enormity of what I'd just said and I grinned. It was true, after seventeen years of smoking, I'd stopped.

It didn't end there of course. There were the weeks and months that followed when I could have murdered for a cigarette. But I didn't do it, and as the time passed, I just forgot about having a cigarette. I went through complete days without thinking of having a cigarette. It was getting easier as time went by.

My appetite improved, my breathing got much better, I didn't cough in the mornings and I was getting fitter. My clothes didn't smell of smoke and I'm sure my breath was much sweeter. My fingers lost the nicotine stains and my teeth became white again.

I had quit smoking and it was all down to will – power.

Nowadays there are plenty of aids out there to help people quit. There are patches to stick on your body. There are false cigarettes to put in your mouth to emulate smoking. Even the National Health Service in the UK will help, by giving out free quit smoking packs. All you have to do is ask.

I know there is no-one more anti- smoking than a person who quit, but when I think of the mess my body could be in now if I hadn't quit smoking over fifty years ago, I just give thanks that I had the determination to do it.

Spain has just passed into law that there will be no smoking in any office, shop, restaurant or bar where the public gather.

Quite rightly so, in my opinion.