After having his first cigarette at the age of 16 years, Ian became a heavy smoker, "heavily addicted". Over the years, he tried to quit many times. He always went back to it. At the age of forty, he realised that if he continued to smoke, it "wouldn't be a great outcome" for him, particularly with the psychiatric medications he was taking. Click on the video below to watch Ian talk about how he stopped smoking and the benefits he's experienced since quitting.
Share your story
If you have a story about quitting smoking that you'd like to share, please email us at quit@cancervic.org.au.
Call Quitline
If you're thinking of stopping smoking, chat with one of our qualified Quitline counsellors on 13 7848, Mon - Fri 8am - 8pm or request a call back using our online form. Quitline provides non-judgmental, empathetic and tailored support to help you along your quitting journey. Quitline is a culturally inclusive service for all, including the LGBTIQA+ community. We also have Aboriginal counsellors available as well as an interpreter service for people who speak languages other than English.
Got a question about quitting? Quitline answers the big 4 questions
It's common to worry about how you'll cope with stopping smoking, or what you'll do with the extra time quitting affords. We asked our Quitline counsellors to answer some of the common questions they receive on Quitline (13 7848):
What to expect when you call Quitline
We answer the most common questions people have about calling the Quitline on 13 7848.
5 things you didn’t know about Quitline (13 7848)
You’ve probably heard of Quitline, but have you ever wondered exactly what they do and how they can help you quit smoking?
Explore other support options
There are a range of support options available to help you quit.
Free Quit Support
Calling the Quitline increases your chance of quitting successfully.
Quit Specialists are trained to listen carefully to you to help meet your needs.
Request a callback
Book a time for Quit to call you.
Text 'call back' to 13 7848
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Free Tools
Build a quit plan
Take a step by step approach to building your quit plan specific to you and your lifestyle.
Sign up for QuitCoach
Your online tool to help create and stick to your personalised quit plan.
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Daily text messages to help prepare, manage and stay on track while quitting.
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Personalised emails with tips, health gains, savings and success stories.