Adrian Divers, 49, from Fernhill, Rutherglen, had been lighting up as many as 30 cigarettes a day for more than 30 years, but got in touch when he read about our campaign.
And he told how he was persuaded to stub out his final cigarette by our stories. He had tried to stop before, but only lasted for three days.
Adrian said: "I have smoked since the age of 12. I have always wanted to stop smoking but could never find the right time to do it.
"On seeing your smoking campaign I decided it was now or never.
"I am now on my third week completely off them with the help of my local chemist and patches.
"It was reading other people's stories, what you can do, and the more I read, I though that's it.
"I thought I need to stop, but that day would never come. What brought it to light was hearing about your articles. I thought it would be a great opportunity for me.
"I made an appointment at the chemist, read the articles every day, and that was me off. I haven't looked back. I found the campaign great and a bit of encouragement. I didn't feel on my own. I'm absolutely delighted."
Adrian chose to give up with the help of his local chemist, which has supplied him with free nicotine patches to help beat the cravings.
Adrian's dangerous levels of carbon monoxide dropped from 13 to just one, in a week.
He says he was getting worried about his health, and has already noticed a difference.
Adrian, who is a full time carer for his mum, said: "In the mornings trying to breathe, it was like cough, cough cough. Even breathing now – what a difference, it's night and day.
"Out walking, I can walk a lot further, it's brilliant- and that's just a few weeks.
"People used to say 'did you used to take a cigarette in the morning, when you woke up,?' and I'd say 'I woke up with a cigarette in my mouth'.
"That was my worry, what I would do in the morning, but the chemist gave me a 24-hour patch, so when you get up in the morning, you don't really have that great want for a cigarette."
Adrian plans to spend up to £6 a day he'd previously spent on cigarettes on a new car, and he hopes to have enough by next summer when he will be 50.
He says he has had some cravings – but has so far managed to cope.
He said: "Yesterday I wanted a cigarette but I just persevered. I got a box of mince pies and I ate six of them – I found that took my mind of the cigarettes – but I need to watch that I don't want to end up fat."
As reported in the Evening Times, Adrian is not the only one who has answered the call of our campaign.
Smokeline, Scotland's national stop smoking helpline has seen a surge of calls since we launched Clear the Air two weeks ago.
Callers have told how they have decided to take action because of the campaign, which we're running in conjunction with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) and NHS Lanarkshire.
Smokeline bosses say many people have been persuaded to call by our stories about people who have lost loved ones from smoking-related illnesses.
Smokers have also been pledging to quit after reading about sufferers of smoking-related diseases, as well as our success stories from those who have already given up.
OVER the past few weeks, our Clear the Air campaign, run in conjunction with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire, has shown why smokers need to quit – and how they can do it successfully. We've been inundated with letters and e-mails from people inspired to stub out their habit thanks to the campaign, and calls to the Smokeline helpline surged.
SARAH SWAIN met a man who has answered our call for action
AS PART of our Clear the Air Campaign, trainee reporter and smoker, Lalita Augustine, 29, is making an attempt to stub the habit out:
I'VE been a smoker since I was 18-years old.
I had just left home and had started my first proper job in a call centre in Merseyside, where I'm from.
Everyone from the office went out at the weekend, and back then there wasn't any smoking ban, so I had people smoking around me left, right, and centre in pubs and nightclubs.
Initially I would enjoy cigarettes donated by colleagues with a drink, but soon I started buying my own packets to smoke at home.
Now, I would say I smoke on average between five and 10 a day, more if I'm out. I've made attempts to give up in the past but cigarettes are your best friends when you are enjoying yourself and equally when you are having a hard time.
You can follow me in the Evening Times, as I get advice from various sources and try different techniques as I attempt to quit and keep the habit stubbed out.
