Here at the Southern Stop Smoking Service, our mobile coaches travel all across their regions to assist whanau in changing their smoking. Check out this story from our Lakes District coach Debbie Swain-Rewi, who travels to the beautiful town of Glenorchy every week!

Once a week I am extremely lucky to travel to Glenorchy and provide smoking cessation services and support to this community, which is a small settlement at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, 45km from Queenstown.

There are two pubs, a café, a small primary school and a range of small shops in the town catering mainly to tourists. Glenorchy has a small resident population of about 400 – many are long-term, generational farming families, others young families looking for cheaper housing options, and other travellers staying for a few months to work in the tourism sector. There used to be a lot of people who smoked. In the last few months of 2019 Sue, Kelly and Geoff, Doc, Monique and Pete have all quit, and remained smoke free. This has been a huge achievement for them individually, and collectively, and as Pete calculated, has probably saved them about $50,000 a year.

I have worked in the Glenorchy community for about eight years and I know that sometimes getting folks back is not always going to happen. They are busy, used to being isolated and self-resilient.

So I need to give as much information and product when I have them with me. Learning results is often many months later which is a little frustrating, and not so good for stats, but, quitting smoking is their journey, not mine (mine was 22 years ago), and once quit, the journey for them is over, and so coming back to the clinic not necessary – I get that.

In late 2019 a few long-term residents approached me to help them quit smoking. Sue Roney had smoked for 40+ years and really only came because her husband Stan had come in and asked about the stop smoking service. Sue’s journey was a long one, she ‘liked’ smoking cigarettes and used then as a reward. When I first met Sue and discussed being smoke free she blew 16 on my smokerlyser. Although she managed to cut down from her 10-15 a day habit quickly, using patches, she struggled with afternoons, and could not quit the final couple between lunch and dinner – which were her ‘quiet ones’ while she was getting Stan’s dinner and relaxing after her day cleaning Air B n B’s.

Sue tried everything from altering her patterns of how and when she did things, to not allowing herself to sit in her favourite ‘smoking’ spot. Sue increased her patches, used more lozenges and nothing seemed to work. This went on for months – Maria our former service manager had come through on a regular trip and had given more advice and suggestions. It was frustrating for Sue, she’d done so well, but couldn’t get over this last hurdle to become smokefree. Then Sue stopped coming to the clinic, I’d message to remind her I’d be there on Wednesday, no reply. I thought Sue must have just given up on her final goal of being smoke free. Then, out of the blue, Sue arrived at the clinic, she wanted some more lozenges – she had been totally smoke free for several weeks, and she blew a 0. Sue still uses lozenges if she has a craving, but she remains smoke free.

Another was “Doc” Richard who had been smoking up to 40 cigarettes a day for 25+ years. Lesley, Doc’s wife, had come into the clinic and asked me about the service and I had talked her through the programme, and had given her products for an unsuspecting Doc to try. About a month later I met Doc. He arrived at the clinic wanting to know how to ‘use this stuff properly’, so I sat with him and explained about his nicotine addiction, about his cravings and the effects of smoking on his health, and how to use the patches and gum effectively. He left the clinic after blowing over 30 on my smokerlyser well stocked, more informed, but not totally convinced. As with many of my clients in Glenorchy, I didn’t see Doc again. Doc isn’t always working in the township so I know that could make things difficult, but I suspected quitting smoking had been a good idea but not successful.          
 
A few months later, quite unexpectedly, I got a phone call from Lesley, Doc’s wife, when I was away from town. Could someone please call in and get some gum for Doc? Sure, I said, puzzled, and asked if he was attempting to quit again – He was, and he HAD. He was 6 weeks smoke free and doing very well!! I was blown away. A few weeks later Doc came in to see me, he looked GREAT, and was extremely proud of himself, and knew how proud Lesley and their two daughters were of him.

Kelly, a ‘quiet’’ smoker, came to see me. She had a bit going on in her life, and had a few concerns about her husband’s health, also a cigarette smoker. These two were interesting – Kelly was an afternoon smoker (unless she was having a few drinks) while Geoff smoked in the evenings. I talked to Kelly about both their smoking habits and patterns, and sent her away with product and suggestions for both of them. The following week Kelly had been smoke free since she’d seen me and was extremely pleased with herself. But Geoff wasn’t on board. Kelly became a weekly visitor at the clinic for several weeks. She had a couple of ‘slip ups’, usually when drinking, but would get straight back on track. We would talk about her journey, and she would wish Geoff would get on board. Just before we went into COVID lockdown, Kelly came in to see me, she was wanting some gum ‘just in case’ for the lockdown period – her news: Geoff had QUIT!! She was thrilled.

Monica, a ‘social’ smoker, and friend of Doc’s wife Lesley came in for help to completely kick the habit. She and Lesley were off to run the New York marathon and even ‘social’ smoking didn’t really fit with running marathons.

Pete who owns a construction business, a long-term local, and long-term smoker, called in to see me for some NRT. He was smoking about a packet a day, but only blew about 10 on the smokrlyser. We talked about behaviours, habits and some strategies to help quit. Pete left with a good supply of products and suggestions on how to use them successfully. Pete has never come back to see me, but I have heard through the community, and from his mates who have quit, that he has been successfully smoke free since before Christmas.

There were several others in the community who have enrolled and never returned. I know not all these folk have quit, but unbeknown to them they have actually started their journey - they will come back, they will have another quit attempt. Most people aren’t successful on their first attempt, but that’s the start, and when they want some more encouragement to try again I’ll be happy to support again, when and how they want.          

I love working in this community, and proud of those that have QUIT in the last year. They have inspired and supported each other, and there will be others in the community watching their success and be inspired to call into my clinic one Wednesday. I’ll be there for them.

​Lounging on deck chairs in the sun-swamped front yard of their townhouse at the Golden View Lifestyle Village, Leone and Geoff Bishop reminisce about having spent 60 or more years of their lives smoking, and how proud they are to now be smoke free with the support of the Southern Stop Smoking Service.  

The couple, originally from Waitaki Valley, moved to Cromwell to retire after a life of merino sheep farming – Leone says Geoff was the most superior wool grower in New Zealand and it wasn’t uncommon to watch him shear a sheep while walking up a hill and all with a cigarette in his mouth.

Leone started smoking at 16-years-old because her sister-in-law was a nurse and smoking. “I thought if she was smoking why couldn’t I?” Leone’s habit progressed to 25 tailor-made cigarettes per day in what would become a 63-year habit.

Geoff says he started pinching his father’s smokes in his early teens. His habit progressed to a 50gram a day, a habit he maintained for years – around 60 he estimated. “I always had a smoke hanging out my mouth.”

Both had tried to stop smoking in the past, Geoff once for three years and Leone once for three months, but they loved the habit too much and found it extremely difficult to stop for good.

Between them, they would spend $400 a fortnight on cigarettes and not even think twice, they said.

Recently, Geoff visited his GP who told him it was time to think about stopping smoking due to a rattle in his chest and referred him to the Southern Stop Smoking Service. Alison Milne visited the pair, where Leone made it clear she too wanted to stop.

The pair found it easier to stop smoking this time around especially with the support of Alison. Stopping together was also helpful, they said, adding that their last cigarette was shared together on the morning of June 2nd.

They were both surprised at how easy it was to stop, although admitted it was tough in the beginning. They each used patches, gum and lozenges.

Neither miss the habit and said they have more energy, food tastes different, and the rattle in Geoff’s chest is gone.

Having been so proud of her effort to stop smoking, Leone discussed it while getting her hair tended to by the rest home hairdresser Bev Quayle. The hairdresser was intrigued and asked how she did it, which leads us to our next inspirational story … 

I started smoking when I was 14 – it was the cool thing to do back in the 70’s.

It was sexy - there were coloured ones and pretty cigarettes and everyone was smoking. The health risks weren’t really known at that stage and I just continued smoking out of habit, but that habit soon increased and before I realised, it had become my best friend. It was my comfort.

I continued to smoke for the next 44 years – except on a Sunday. I never smoked on a Sunday.

I stopped once about 20 years ago for 18 months but getting caught out in a snow storm and staying in a house with several people drew me back into it. Then I just started where I left off and it was like having my best mate back.

I was so angry at myself for starting again. I’d let myself down and I was feeling a bit depressed about the amount of weight I had piled on when I hadn’t been smoking.

That’s actually why I was nervous to stop smoking. Putting on the weight again worried me, but it turns out It can be done and in fact I’ve even lost weight! It’s all a mind-set thing.

I’d been thinking about stopping for a while, it was becoming so expensive, but it wasn’t until one of my clients at the Golden View Lifestyle Village rest home said she was stopping and I thought ‘well if she can, I can!’ Next thing I knew Alison was arranging a meeting with me and I would visit her at Junction Health in Cromwell. On the 23rd of June I had my last cigarette.

I’d tried the patches but they gave me bad dreams so I ended up stopping without any NRT. I haven’t even had one cigarette since. I would be so angry with myself if I did!

I don’t miss smoking at all and in fact I found it quite easy to stop. Alison was a huge support and I looked forward to her visits. I’m excited about the amount of money I have saved to far ($600) because by the time my son gets married on the Gold Coast next year, I will have tons saved!

I’m so pleased to be smoke free and I’m excited about the future.

​*This client wishes to remain anonymous

The possibility of not receiving the hip surgery I so desperately need was the motivation I needed to kick my habit of over 50 years.

I started smoking when I was 16. Like most people say, smoking was normal then – my father smoked, my five siblings smoked. I’m proud to say we have all given up now!

Back then, I really thought I could drop it any time I liked. Life went on and I continued smoking because I enjoyed it. They were really cheap then too. We all had jobs so money wasn’t really an issue.

I’ve smoked my entire life. It became ingrained into my lifestyle before I’d even realised it had happened. I smoked tailor-made cigarettes for years but when they started to become more expensive I switched to roll-your-owns.

I tried to stop smoking on numerous occasions but it turned out I couldn’t stop as easy as I thought I could. Nothing ever worked – I even tried hypnosis. The longest I stopped was probably a couple of weeks.

My motivation came when I was told last year that I couldn’t get hip surgery until I stopped smoking. I’m in desperate need of a hip replacement! One of the nurses at my medical practice put me in touch with the Southern Stop Smoking Service and I was put in touch with the Otago coach, who started visiting me at home.

The coach was helpful and encouraged and motivated me. She was positive, which in turn helped me to remain positive.

As it turns out I was allergic to the patches, so instead of using NRT, I opted for vaping. I had already cut down to only about 5 cigarettes a day by that point so I found the switch quite easy. Now I’m looking forward to coming off the vape.

I have had one or two cigarettes since I stopped smoking 7 months ago, but it turns out I don’t actually like smoking now.

I am now looking forward to my hip surgery, which I have now been told will happen in the very near future.

Kara Holmes, Dunedin resident

My first cigarette tasted disgusting but I forced myself to keep going.

It was a social thing. You had to smoke if you wanted to be “one of the cool kids.” It made me feel so grown up at 15 and it wasn’t even expensive back then.

It was actually quite widely advertised. I remember once going to Australia on holiday with my family and being handed free cigarette samples in the mall!

Smoking was everywhere, so I just continued. For me, I used it as a motivational tool – I’ll just have a cigarette and then I’ll do it. I would smoke more than a 30gram per week and spend roughly $100.

I tried to stop smoking a number of times over the years but I never went more than a day or two.

When my daughter turned three she became a little mischievous and I remember she would say things like “go outside and have a smoke Mum.” The only reason she was saying that was so that she could be naughty out of view.

That was it, I thought, time to stop for good! I was lucky that whilst in hospital having my second child I was referred to the Southern Stop Smoking Service. I had heard about the service when I was pregnant but at that point I just couldn’t face not smoking.

It was actually easier to continue smoking than to think about stopping. But, once I had made my mind up that was it, and the Otago coach came to see me.

She was supportive, non-judgmental, and could relate having stopped smoking in the past herself. She helped me to formulate a plan and showed me how to use the patches properly. I found it helpful to have someone to be accountable to and, being the competitive person I am, constantly trying to get a lower number on the Co machine.

With the assistance of patches and gum, I have been smoke free now since November. I don’t miss it at all and in fact when I smell it on someone who has been smoking, it really puts me off it.

I had a persistent cough that’s now gone, so that’s a huge bonus. But the biggest bonus for me is that my children won’t remember me as a smoker! 

Kurt Scriven - Oamaru

I’d been smoking 20-30 cigarettes a day for 48 years; a habit I started in my teens and never tried to stop. Everyone smoked in those days, it was normal, and it just became ingrained in my lifestyle.

It wasn’t expensive to smoke back then. In those days’ smokes were 30c for a packet of 20 and once I started working it was easy to afford.
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I knew it wasn’t a great habit and eventually I started to notice I was feeling tired all of the time, I was coughing often and throughout the years I lost all of my teeth due to gum disease, which I was told was caused by smoking.

I hadn’t tried to stop in the past. There was the odd day I’d think about stopping but I never did. In fact, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to.

I ended up with a bit of a health scare (not smoking related) and visited the doctor. He mentioned I should probably stop smoking and I agreed, so I got on to Quitline but that didn’t work for me.

That’s when I googled stop smoking help in the Southern District and found the Southern Stop Smoking Service. After contacting them I was referred to the stop smoking coach here in Oamaru.

I met with the coach who gave me patches and lozenges and three days later I stopped smoking. That was about 20 weeks ago.

Liz has been a great help. She is non-judgmental, she listened to me and gave me ideas and showed me how to use the NRT. She has given me the confidence to kick the habit and I certainly noticed that being able to see the person made a huge difference.

I’m 63-years-old now and I feel great. My cough is gone, it cleared up quickly, and my smell and taste has changed. I enjoy making curry and I used to love it spicy but now I’ve had to cut back on the spice because it’s too hot! Smoking must have numbed my taste and smell!

I had been spending about $100 a week to smoke, but since I’ve stopped I’m able to spend my money on something that doesn’t damage my health – I bought myself a brand new Audi! I would never have bought that if I had still been smoking. It’s my reward.

My wife and I have been getting out and doing the gardens and taking the dogs to the beach for a walk daily, which we really enjoy.

I don’t miss smoking and I’ll never start again. That chapter of my life is closed, done and dusted.

Stewart Whittingham - Manapouri

When everyone told me I would never stop smoking, I set out on a mission to prove them all wrong. And I succeeded.

I had been smoking for a long time. I started when I was just 13 because a friend gave me a cigarette. It had a funny taste but I kept smoking anyway. It was normal back then, everyone smoked. People would smoke on the bus, on the train, on the plane and even in supermarkets.

I could buy a single smoke and a match for two pence from the local dairy. In England, the legal age to buy cigarettes was 16 and by the age of 16 I was smoking a packet of 20’s a day.

I was working so I could afford them. Money was never a problem. But, really, when you smoke you can always find money for cigarettes.

I don’t know why I continued the habit. I knew though that I would get a break at work if I smoked, if I didn’t smoke I wouldn’t! I actually enjoyed the habit. I enjoyed going to the pub after work and joining the crowd of people smoking.

I hadn’t realised it but it had become ingrained in my lifestyle, and I would often use it as a reward – if I just finish this I can have a cigarette.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve tried to stop. I started trying at 20-years-old but nothing ever worked. I would cut down, then stop, then start again. I would use patches and gum, and sometimes I would just stop cold turkey. It was like a revolving wheel. My longest attempt was 6 months but something would always lead me back to it.

I knew I needed to stop for more reason than one. I was working extra to pay for my cigarettes, I was worried for my health, and I was constantly nagged to stop by my parents.

Then in December I got a text message from my doctor advising of the Southern Stop Smoking Service, and then Debbie Swain-Rewi contacted me. It felt like the perfect timing for me.

I had a meeting with her at the Community Centre and that day I went home, smoked the rest of my pack of cigarettes and haven’t touched one since.

Debbie showed me how to use the patches properly and instead of a cigarette, that day, I had a cup of tea and a chocolate bar instead.

I continue to wake at 2am every morning, which is when I’d usually go outside for a cigarette, but I’ve changed my habits and now I’ll sit down and turn the TV on.

Everyone told me there’s no way I would do it. I would never stop smoking. Well, I proved them all wrong and so far I have saved $30 a day! The money that I’ve saved has been spent on paint for my house.

I haven’t even felt like a smoke! I enjoy having more time now, I don’t smell, I can walk further and my lung capacity is greater, and I’m saving lots of money!

I don’t miss smoking at all. I’m never going to go back now, and if I even thought about it I’d just give Debbie a call!