World Smokefree Day: Quitters tap into help

For World Smokefree Day, Dana Kinita looks at support services for addicts wanting to stub out
Shavaughn Douglas is trying again. The Rotorua mother of four is determined, once and for all, to overcome her nicotine addiction and give up smoking in honour of World Smokefree Day.
"It's been nearly a 20-year habit," she says. "I started in high school thinking it was cool like kids do, we would hide in the toilets and cough and splutter away. My older sister started before me and she used to plough the makeup on and buy them for us."
What started out as a quick cigarette between classes quickly turned into a packet a day.
"I actually liked the head rush it gave, it was a bit of a buzz but then I started sneaking a smoke before and after school and on the weekends at my friends' homes and before you knew it, I was hooked.
"By the time I realised that financially and health-wise, it wasn't really good for me, it was too late."
Ms Douglas says even during her pregnancies she wasn't able to successfully quit.
"I tried to. I knew what dangers I was putting my children through. I could rattle off all the negative side effects; premature birth, low-birth weight, higher risk of cot death ... but my craving was too strong.
"I could go up to a couple of weeks without touching a smoke and then I could have a bad day or something was stressing me out and I'd be back at it," she says.
During a visit to her local GP, she enrolled on the Aukati KaiPaipa programme which involves face-to-face support, with professional Quit coaches who personalise their programmes to an individual's needs.
"I've sat with my Quit coach and we identified what triggers me to feel like a smoke. Things like after I've eaten or stress or even just after the kids have been put to bed are when I usually want one. Since I heard it was World Smokefree Day coming up, I thought what better day to kick the habit?"
Smoking in New Zealand kills 5000 people each year, says Quit Group chief executive Paula Snowden, adding that there is plenty of support on offer for those wanting to give up.
"Quite simply, we are asking Kiwis who want to quit to use our help. This is because smokers who use support are up to five times more successful than those who try cold turkey and go it alone."
Almost 11,000 New Zealanders successfully quit smoking with Quit's help.
"The message to all smokers is that every hour a Kiwi successfully quits smoking," Snowden says. "We are here to help smokers quit, and stay quit through one-on-one support and subsidised nicotine patches, gum or lozenges."
Smokefree co-ordinator in the Eastern Bay of Plenty Wendy O'Connell says World Smokefree Day could be the perfect opportunity to increase your bank balance. For a 20-a-day smoker, quitting the habit can amount to an extra $100 a week, $400 a month or over $5000 a year.
"In fact, it's like a double bonus. You beat the addiction that's killing you and those around you, and you end up with more cash in the bank ... essentially giving yourself a pay rise at the same time."
"Give it a go ... you might find it's easier than you think, and once the next increase on tobacco tax goes through you'll be saving even more money."
For Ms Douglas, her motivation to quit is her children.
"I saw my 4-year-old playing with her friends and pretending to smoke on their pencils and I just cringed.
"It's something I never want her, or any of my other children, to pick up."
New Zealand research shows students who have at least one parent who smoked were three times more likely to be daily smokers, compared with those whose parents did not smoke.
"I just want look back and think, 'Yeah I was a smoker but least I was strong enough and determined enough to give up,' that's what I'm aiming for."
Quitline offers free advice and non-judgmental support on 0800 778 778.
To find a health organisation that offers the Aukati Kaipaipa programme go to www.aukatikaipaipa.co.nz