Malcolm Davie, Shopkeeper, & Susan Moore, English Teacher, Edinburgh

"It was a great team effort and we helped each other to quit."

A health scare was the impetus for Malcolm (54) and his partner Susan (47) quitting cigarettes together in 2009. After having pains in his arm, Malcolm was whisked to hospital with a suspected heart attack. Luckily he was given the all clear but the doctor told him as a heavy smoker, next time he might not be so lucky. That day he and Susan decided to quit and haven’t smoked since.

It wasn’t the first time Malcolm had quit. After starting smoking when he was 14 with friends, he quit when he was 22 for 12 years. However after just one cigarette he started again for few years before quitting for nearly five years and then repeated the pattern by having one cigarette that started him on to his final 30 a day habit. “I thought having just one wouldn’t be a problem and I could stop. I now realise that I can’t even have one. Which is why I also know that this time I’ve quit for good.”

Susan didn’t start smoking until she was in her early 40s after going through a stressful time in her personal life. “I thought smoking would relieve the stress and that I could just have a couple for short time. However that wasn’t the case. It didn’t help the stress and I started smoking regularly. Because of my job as a teacher I wouldn’t smoke during the day at work so I smoked about five a day on weekdays but more at the weekend. I thought smoking would be temporary but instead it was becoming a problem and even dictating where we would spend our social time and go on holiday.”

Malcolm and Susan both say it was Malcolm’s trip to hospital that gave them a wake-up call to their health and that by quitting together they helped each other. “I knew if I smoked it would be harder for Malcolm not to go back to it.” “It would fee like we were letting each other down if we started again,” says Malcolm who is also feeling the health benefits of giving up. “I’m proud to no longer be one of the people who is huddled outside a pub or café because I need a cigarette.”

“The best thing for me about quitting is the freedom. There are no restrictions on my life any more,” says Susan. “I went to Australia and worried about the flight and then when I was there was restricted on where I could go to smoke. I was scared about giving up, but realised once I’d stopped, you don’t have to have that fear and you can do it.”

Malcolm agrees, “You have to be positive. Yes it was hard for me the first couple of weeks when I went through nicotine withdrawal but after that it was a case of habit-breaking. I’d tell anyone who is thinking about giving up to stop thinking and just do it.”

“Absolutely,” says Susan. “Don’t keep putting if off till tomorrow. Finish your packet and don’t buy any more.”

“And don’t ever have another one!” says Malcolm.

What do friends and family say?

Malcolm and Susan’s parents and grown up children are all delighted they have stopped, especially as they were worried about their health. “They really see it as an achievement and admire us,” says Susan.

Susan on Malcolm quitting: “I totally admire him. It shows you can do it if you make up your mind to and I’m convinced he won’t go back.”

Malcolm on Susan quitting: “It was a great team effort and we helped each other to quit.”