"I quit smoking after 40 years – and within weeks I saw my health improve"

Dad-of-two Nabil Hassoun was a prolific smoker for more than four decades. 

The 63-year-old first picked up a cigarette in his early twenties while hanging out with friends in the evenings, but it soon progressed into a more serious habit.

 “It started with four or five [a day] and then it gradually increased to a pack or 15,” explained the former estate agent from Roath, Cardiff.

“Smoking became a way of helping me stay awake and pay attention, especially when I was stressed from work or needed to drive somewhere. It was able to keep me focused - or so I thought.”

Before long, Nabil started seeing a downward turn in his health and wellbeing. He started to walk less and would get out of breath even climbing up the stairs at home.

Things came to a head in September 2024 when he spent two nights at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with a chest infection. 

After exploratory tests, doctors confirmed that he had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a group of lung conditions that cause major breathing difficulties.

To his shock, he discovered that his lung capacity - almost exclusively due to his years of heavy smoking - was as low as 2%. 

“The consultant told me now was the time to quit otherwise my health would deteriorate even further. That was a real wake-up call,” he admitted.

After being discharged from hospital, Nabil was advised by a nurse at his GP surgery to seek free face-to-face support through Help Me Quit, an NHS-run stop smoking service.

He received seven weeks of tailored help from an expert Help Me Quit practitioner - and accessed 12 weeks of free nicotine replacement products worth £250.

“I had really nice discussions [with my practitioner] and she encouraged me immensely. It was hard at first because I’d been used to smoking so many cigarettes a day,” he added.

“I was able to understand my triggers for smoking, and I found that the best nicotine replacement for me was the chewing gum.”

Within just two weeks of quitting, Nabil said he saw improvements in his overall wellbeing.

“I’m now sleeping better because sometimes I used to snore,” he said. “I also used to wake a lot at night as I felt a pressure deep inside my chest - but that’s now gone. I’m now more likely go outside for walks and breathe in the fresh air.”

When asked to give his advice to others wanting to seek professional support from Help Me Quit, Nabil concluded: “I want other people to realise that they can stop smoking. You just need to understand your lifestyle, explore the triggers and find out what treatments work best for you.

“It’s a matter of will, along with the treatment and support from the practitioners and your family.

“At the end of the day, it’s your life and it’s up to you how you choose to live it. Quitting smoking is a journey and you might stumble along the way, but just stay focused.”

For a full list of stop smoking services locally, and to find out if you need to pre-book an appointment, please contact the Help Me Quit contact centre team by:

• Calling freephone 0800 085 2219

• Texting HMQ to 80818 (text cost is one standard rate message)

• Going to the Help Me Quit website and requesting a call back

Smokers can also be referred to Help Me Quit by their GP or practice nurse, or if they find themselves in hospital they can access the Hospital Smoking Cessation Service and nicotine replacement products on-site before being transferred back to the community. Some pharmacies in Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan also offer Help Me Quit advice and nicotine replacement products.