A COUPLE who have smoked one million cigarettes between them have celebrated their first smoke-free year.

James and Kathleen Woodall smoked 20 to 30 cigarettes a day each for almost 50 years.

But they vowed to change their ways when 65-year-old Mr Woodall suffered a heart attack.

He said: “I must’ve started smoking when I was about 14.

“It was just what you did then. It wasn’t thought of as it is today.

“My first cigarette was while I was at secondary school during my dinner break.

“I remember coughing quite a bit, but I soon persevered. I wish I hadn’t now.”

The former West Oxfordshire District Council worker said the Christmas 2009 heart attack was a wake-up call.

Mrs Woodall, 58, said: “When James had a heart attack I was so scared. I knew we both had to quit smoking and I was prepared to do whatever it took to make sure he was happy and healthy again.

“We both started smoking in our teens so quitting wasn’t an easy thing to do – especially as we have both smoked about almost 60 cigarettes a day between us for close to 50 years. When James and I were teenagers, smoking was seen as trendy and it was a way of fitting it.

“It’s no longer fashionable to smoke, quite the opposite.”

The couple, from Chadlington, near Chipping Norton, spoke out as part of a Department of Health campaign to help others to stop smoking.

They originally contacted the Oxfordshire NHS Stop Smoking Service to help quit.

They were given nicotine replacement therapy patches and inhalators, a device which mimics a cigarette for smokers who need to keep their hands busy.

Mr Woodall said the past year had not been easy but said his health has improved tenfold.

He said: “Before I would wake up, have a coffee and cigarette. It’s about changing habits and getting out of the routine and it has been hard.

“But we feel so much better and the children are over the moon that we gave up.”

Mrs Woodall admitted she did not know how much they had spent on the habit over the years and added: “James even switched to roll-ups to try and save money at one time. I don’t know how we ever afforded it to be honest and I’m glad we don’t have to worry about it anymore.

“I’m enjoying walking without getting out of breath and we are both looking forward to the future.”

More than 3,000 Oxfordshire people quit smoking last year. Most people spend 12 weeks on nictotine replacement patches at an average cost to the NHS of £204.

Dr Jonathan McWilliam, director of public health for NHS Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Stopping smoking is the single best thing that you can do to improve your health.

“The benefits can be both short and long-term. It is not easy, but stopping smoking is possible, with help.”

  • The primary service for people who want to quit smoking is the NHS Stop Smoking Service.

The service offers a range of free treatments, advice and support for people who want to quit.

The Oxfordshire Smoking Advice Service Helpline is on 0845 40 80 300 from Monday to Friday during office hours.

The NHS recommends nicotine replacement therapy via gum, patches which absorb nicotine into the bloodstream, tabs that are placed under the tongue and lozenges.

It also offers cigarette shaped inhalators, which release nicotine vapour when sucked, and nicotine nasal spray.

An online ‘addiction test’ and ‘cost calculator’ can be found at the Smokefree website. Follow the link below.