For 55 years, Mick Staunton smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day. His wife, Olivia, wasn’t far behind him, having taken up smoking 46 years ago and smoking at least 10 a day ever since.

However, proving that you are never too old to quit, the Roscommon couple have finally ditched the habit and are feeling much healthier as a result.

“I took it up, like every young fella, thinking I was the big man,” said the 74-year-old. “Olivia [71] was similar, and with the two of us smoking, it became harder and harder to quit, even though we tried a few times.”

The retired garda says that he and his wife, who used to work in the Civil Service, attempted to stop smoking on numerous occasions throughout their lives but knew they needed support to stop for good.

“Whenever I tried, I would only last a few months before going back on them [cigarettes] and Olivia was the same,” said the father of five. “We tried to go cold turkey and were using sweets and chewing gum whenever we wanted a cigarette, but they were a poor substitute. So last year we contacted the [HSE] Quit team and the support we got was the biggest thing to help us through.”

More than 17 per cent of the Irish population are smokers, with 14 per cent smoking daily, and 4 per cent occasionally. With 20 per cent of the 25- to 34-year-old age bracket smoking, this demographic has the highest number of smokers. However, these figures have declined since the first Healthy Ireland Survey in 2015, when the figure was 32 per cent. This decrease could be down to more available supports, as, according to the HSE, smokers are four times more likely to quit successfully if they use a combination of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the form of sprays, mists, lozenges and patches, along with support from a “stop smoking adviser”.

Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death and significantly impacts physical and mental health, so giving up can lead to improved health, reduced disease risk, and better overall wellbeing, including increased life expectancy and reduced stress.

“Smoking is dangerous, and the odds facing people who smoke are stark - 1 in 2 will die of a smoking-related disease; on average, people who smoke will die 10 years earlier and are at increased risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, lung disease and many other debilitating diseases,” said Dr Paul Kavanagh, HSE public health consultant and clinical adviser to the Tobacco Free Ireland Programme.

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 However, Dr Kavanagh says it’s not all bad news, as these odds can be changed when people stop smoking. “We see changes in physiological measures like heart rate, blood pressure and exhaled carbon monoxide within days; breathing and exercise tolerance will improve within weeks; and over the coming months and years, the risk of smoking-related disease reduces dramatically.”

Mick Staunton with his wife Olivia in their garden in Castlerea. Photograph: Arthur Ellis

According to the HSE, other health benefits include increased life expectancy as smoking takes an average of 10 to 15 years off a person’s life, reduced risk of life-threatening diseases, improved respiratory function, circulation and oxygen levels, and better skin, teeth and hair.

Quitting smoking also helps with improved mood and reduces feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Giving up also helps to improve fertility, reduces risk of pregnancy complications, offers protection for loved ones from second-hand smoke and creates financial savings as it can “free up a significant amount of money”.

Research from Healthy Ireland Statistics shows that 17 per cent of the population smokes cigarettes, while another 8 per cent uses e-cigarettes, either daily or occasionally.

These figures have not changed since 2023, and Martina Blake, national lead for the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, says NRTs can help more people to quit. “These licensed medicines safely give you just enough nicotine to relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms, while reducing your dependence on nicotine gradually,” she said. “They help you to cope with cravings and withdrawal symptoms, but do not contain the poisonous and cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke, such as tar and carbon monoxide.”

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Men remain more likely to smoke than women (20 per cent of men smoke as opposed to 15 per cent of women), and Mick Staunton says it’s never too late to think about giving up.

“We both wish we did it years ago, as we’re flying it now.”