I tried my first cigarette when I was 15 years old. At school, hiding in the bushes, thinking I was being pretty cool and grown up. In reality it made me cough, choke and tasted awful!

I thought I was just experimenting; being a bit naughty. I had absolutely no idea that I was signing up for a 20 year sentence of slavery….

At first it was just an occasional cigarette, in my school lunch break or at a party. But as the years went by the frequency increased and before too long I was a fully-fledged pack a day smoker and couldn’t do anything or go anywhere without them. How did that happen?!

I didn’t consciously decide one day to get serious about being a smoker and increase my intake. It just crept up on me as it probably has done with you too.

So yes, like you, I decided to try my first experimental cigarette, but at that time I didn’t decide that I was going to have to smoke for the next 20 years of my life. Neither did you when you lit that first cigarette. You just fell into the same trap as I did.

I did decide that I was going to do something about it and get some help to get free of it. You can too…