Maureen and Eileen Walsh have been tobacco-free for almost two years, a feat neither expected to accomplish.
“We both tried many times,” said Maureen.
“Sometimes it would last a day, sometimes for a few weeks, but we always found a reason to go back to it. Finally we decided we had had enough. We hated what it was doing to our health.”
The smoke-free twins have become an inspiration to friends and family who are thinking seriously about quitting now.
Overcoming the addiction to nicotine isn't easy, but thousands of people succeed annually with practice and support.
In the Simcoe Muskoka area only one in five adults smokes and almost half have tried to quit at least once in the past year.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit will help smokers take the next step to quitting the habit.
The health unit has scheduled 11 free STOP Smoking Workshops across the region in February and March, including a Saturday workshop on February 20 in Barrie.
The workshops provide participants with a free five-week supply of the nicotine patch and counselling to help improve the chances of quitting successfully.
Pre-registration is required for the three-hour workshops through Health Connection at 1-877-721-7520 or 705-721-7520. (The health line is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Upcoming workshops include:
Barrie and Innisfil
Innisfil Wednesday, February 17 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Barrie Thursday, February 18 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Barrie Saturday, February 20 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Barrie Tuesday, March 1 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Barrie Thursday, March 24 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Muskoka
Huntsville Wednesday, February 17 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Gravenhurst Wednesday, February 24 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Bracebridge Wednesday, March 16 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Orillia Wednesday, February 24 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Orillia Monday, March 21 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Midland and North Simcoe
Midland Thursday, March 31 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
