When I was young my mum smoked cigarettes and it absolutely killed me.
I wasn’t raised religiously, quite the opposite, but that didn’t stop me from praying every single night that my mum would quit smoking.
I was convinced she would die and leave me alone. My dad had left when I was six months old, my only sibling had gone to live with him when I was eight years old, and I was certain the world would find a way to take my mum as well.
Watch Constance Hall speak to Mia Freedman on No Filter. Post continues below.
I would steal her cigarettes and snap them in half. I did it to an entire carton of them that someone had bought her Duty Free once – I’m surprised she didn’t kill me, being a broke single mum.
Cancer terrified me from a young age, and I tried to warn her as if she didn’t already know. I’d leave her notes about lung cancer: “It killed your mum and will soon kill you.”
She literally hid to smoke; waited until I was asleep to sneak outside. To this day we still joke about her astonishment at the sound of my voice: ‘Muuuuuummm, are you smoking?”
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My Husband didn't stop smoking until 2 months after the birth of our first child in 2002. He had a false start, where he gave up for 4 days and then went straight back on them. He wrote on the Calendar: "Only 4 days off ciggies and I break, what a loser!" I crossed it all out and wrote: "Four days without a Cigarette after chain smoking for over 10 years, what a Legend!" He rallied after that and he got a 'puffer' with those capsules that replace Nicotine (patches DIDN'T work, he had tried them before) and would go on the decking with the 'puffer' when he felt the need. He kicked the habit and has never smoked again since. 17 year Anniversary since marrying in 2003. Encouragement helps far more than criticism does. I am sorry that Constance had so much criticism. WHAT A CHAMP for giving up despite it all!
Quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I did.... I failed so many times. Eventually falling pregnant with my daughter 10 years ago finished it once and for all. No one regrets giving up smoking - the smell, the money, the health implications. I can't imagine being a smoker now.... shudder.