A West London man has quit smoking after a carbon monoxide test at an NHS wellbeing event prompted him to seek support from West London NHS Trust’s Ealing Smokefree Service.
Keith Roach said he had not expected to stop smoking, but changed his mind after receiving a high reading during a breath test. With one-to-one support and the use of a vape, he said he stopped smoking cigarettes within six days.
Explaining how the test works, Maria Romero, a smokefree practitioner at West London NHS Trust, said: “During a stop-smoking session, individuals’ CO levels are monitored by a breathing test, which involves holding their breath for 10 to 15 seconds and then blowing into a carbon monoxide monitor. This is the first point of their smokefree journey.”
Carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke, the trust said.
Mr Roach said quitting had improved his breathing and energy levels and reduced his spending on cigarettes, saving him hundreds of pounds in two months. He also said the change had helped him feel more in control while living with long-term mental health challenges and autism.
He said: “If you want to go on a good holiday, quit smoking.”
