Tamara decided she needed to quit smoking more than a year ago when she was hapū (pregnant). 

“I’d been smoking since I was a teenager.  I was around other people smoking all the time, worked in the shearing sheds – it was all around me.  So that’s when I started.” 

“I work alongside whanau support with Poutini Waiora.  I was working with the māmā and pēpi lady, she kept telling me I needed to give up.  Most of my family deciding to stop smoking just go cold turkey, and that’s what I did.  I turned to food instead.” 

Westport Smoking Cessation / Oranga Hā advisor Jess Brophy checked in with Tamara once or twice a week, which “helped heaps”, Tamara says. 

“Because I had already stopped, and was in that giving up buzz, she was encouraging me.” 

Tamara gave up more than a year ago now.  Her partner had been smoking for much longer and Tamara’s decision to stop led to him making the same choice. 

Now she finds smoking “disgusting”. 

“I can’t stand the smell of it any more.  I don’t know why I was smoking in the first place.” 

Her advice to young people considering the habit?  “Don’t do it.  It’s not cool.”