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Not so long ago, I had to take positive action to quit smoking. While there's never been an acceptable reason to smoke in the first place, my life was becoming increasingly miserable. After 15 years, and gradually creeping up to 2 packs a day, I'd continued to ignore the horrible smell, the wasted dollars and the health risks associated with my nicotine habit.

We can always find feeble excuses not to quit. You may recognise some of these:

• It is not the right time
• I'm too busy to think about it
• Smoking helps me to relax
• I'll give up after this pack is finished
• I'm stressed out after work
• I enjoy a cigarette after dinner
• I'll only smoke when I'm having a drink in a bar
• I couldn't get through the day without smoking
• 5 cigarettes a day won't do me any harm

Did you find your favorite excuse in there? No doubt there are countless more, too many to list here anyway. So what made me finally take the leap into a smoke-free existence? The widely increasing popularity of the smoking ban! In my area, smoking in all enclosed public places has been outlawed for about a year now, but it has taken me almost the same amount of time to realise how much I have adjusted my life to fit in with my nicotine habit.

One of my excuses on the list above is that I like to smoke after dinner, and even more so when I go out to a bar. In all of my adult years, any attempt to quit has been thwarted by the temptation to smoke when I've been out having a few glasses of wine with friends. Looking back, this was probably the main reason for failure.

Whether by accident or design, the ban came during the spring and summer months so at first it wasn't such a big problem. When the weather was fine, I'd meet with friends at a street cafe or outdoor bar. However, when the colder weather came along, I just stopped going out, period. I became a recluse in my own home. On the rare occasions that I was persuaded to socialize, I hated it and couldn't wait to get back into my comfort zone.

The turnaround came when I met a very good friend in the shopping mall. We were part of the same social group for many years, and over the last few months had drifted away from each other, or rather I had deliberately stopped turning up. He persuaded me to meet up with him and the others that evening, so feeling guilty I went out to the bar, which is in an enclosed complex of shops and restaurants. Having no opportunity to smoke, and surrounded by non-smokers, I felt edgy for the first hour or so. After that, I was so caught up in the conversation, good humor and great friendship that I honestly forgot that I hadn't had a cigarette all evening. Of course, as soon as I left the building and was on my way home, the urge to light up was instantly upon me and I gave into the temptation.

What the experience did do for me though, was make me realise that I didn't need to smoke to enjoy my evening out. My biggest excuse, and the one I'd been depending on for all these years, had been blown out of the water in a few hours. When I woke up the next morning, once I had fought through the haze of a slight hangover, the first thing I did was reach for a cigarette. That's when it really hit me. I didn't need it; in fact I didn't even want it. The night before had been a revelation and I wasn't about to let go of this new found hope.

Now I'm not saying it was easy, it just wasn't as difficult and unimaginable as I'd led myself to believe. I got on the phone straight away and booked an appointment at a local smoking cessation clinic. Since that day I have not smoked a single cigarette, and although the old habits creep up on me sometimes, I know the feeling will pass quickly. Also, any cravings I've felt have subsided more and more as the weeks go on.

This is my success story, prompted by a specific event. Whatever your perceived reasons for smoking are, there's always a better one for giving up - quit now and stop making excuses!