ALTHOUGH the start of the Millennium now seems a long time ago it was a major turning point for many smokers. Thousands of people decided to quit smoking at the start of the new century and this week they will be joined by even more. Today is National No Smoking Day and the hope is hundreds of smokers in East Lancashire will take the plunge and kick the habit. Reporter MIKE RIBBECK - who launched his own Can He Kick It? column in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph in a successful bid to stop smoking - spoke to a reformed smoker about her ongoing battle, which began on the same day he gave up the habit.

THE health experts say one in two people die early because they smoke and while 5,000 are killed on Britain's roads every year 90,000 die as a result of smoking.

Lauraine Wilkinson (pictured) has been smoking since the age of 12 and the decision to quit was one of the toughest she has ever taken.

But when her father was told he had cancer and had to have an operation she promised her mother she would stub out the cigarettes for good.

The 27-year-old from Woodsend Close, Blackamoor, in Blackburn, packed in on the same day as her husband Russell.

Despite the good intentions Russell is back on the fags making Lauraine's life even harder but she is determined to carry on what she started. She said: "My dad found out he had cancer 18 months ago and at the time I promised my mum I would stop smoking.

"It was something that was in the back of my mind for a long time and my dad being ill gave me a real fright but it still took me 18 months to quit."

She said: "Russell said he was stopping and he got some patches but I didn't bother even though it was really difficult at first.

"I used to smoke between 15 and 20 a day and at first I found it really, really hard to cope with the cravings.

"After a while it goes away and you think you have cracked it, then the cravings come back again with a vengeance."

Lauraine said: "There were some habits that were really difficult to break. I work at Calderstones as a receptionist and you are not allowed to smoke anywhere on the grounds of the hospital.

"You see staff parked outside in their cars at lunchtime having a cigarette, every night the first thing I used to do when I got in my car was reach for the cigarettes. It was a habit that was very difficult to break.

"I was the sort of person who had to have cigarettes in the house and every morning when I got up I would start the day with a smoke." She said: "My mum didn't know but I first started smoking when I was 12 and I did it because all my friends were smoking. I just wanted to be the same as everyone else.

"After a while it became a habit and I became a regular smoker.

"One of the hardest things about not smoking is going out for a drink.

"You suddenly notice everyone who is smoking and the smoke also gets to you."

Lauraine said: "It has been eight weeks since I stopped and I still have moments when all I want is a cigarette.

"But when I stopped as a reward to myself I joined a gym. I go three nights a week with a friend and I love it, I seem to have a lot more energy to do things since quitting.

"I am really glad I decided to stop and if I did it then I am sure anyone else can."

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