A woman who smoked for 55 years has urged others to give up the habit.
Vicki Lofts, from Seend, made the life-changing decision to stop after being told she had early signs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, better known as COPD.
She said the diagnosis prompted her to make a final attempt to quit, after several previous efforts on her own ended in relapse.
This time, she accessed free support through Wiltshire Council’s stop smoking service and downloaded the Smoke Free app, which she credits with helping her stop for good.
Vicki said: “Once I had decided to quit smoking, I decided to set my quit date for two days before my birthday and signed up to the Smoke Free app.
“I found the app really helpful as it gives you 24/7 access to a stop smoking advisor. I also received a vape really quickly, which was important as once I’d set a quit date I wanted to start straight away while I was in the right frame of mind.”
Since quitting, she says she feels significantly better and has noticed a range of health improvements.
These include having more energy, sleeping better and being more physically active, which has led her to buy a walking machine for daily exercise.
She said: “There have been so many benefits to quitting smoking. My sleep and taste have improved, my clothes, car and house don’t smell and the stains on my teeth have gone.
“I have more energy, and my resting pulse rate has gone down from the high 80s to the 60s.
“I no longer sit around smoking, I’m more fit and active. I’ve bought myself a walking machine and walk 1.5 miles every day. I would never have done that if I hadn’t stopped smoking. If I can quit after smoking for 55 years, anyone can quit. It’s never too late.”
Wiltshire Council has backed the message, encouraging smokers to seek expert help rather than trying to quit alone.
Clare Cape, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Co-ordination with the NHS, said: “Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, so we’d urge people who smoke to make it their New Year’s resolution.
“Research shows that you’re three times more likely to quit with expert support, so make sure you take advantage of the free support on offer from our Health Coaches and the Smoke Free app.”
Anyone who lives or works in Wiltshire can access a free twelve-week stop smoking programme with specialist Health Coaches and free stop smoking aids.
Residents can also receive six months’ free access to the Smoke Free app, which offers round-the-clock support.
More information about Wiltshire-based stop smoking services is available at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/smokefree.
