She has now been clean for more than seven months.

However, she has no intention of preaching the word to her smoking friends.

The 41-year-old from Glasgow believes smoking curbs in public places are inevitable, but those who wish to light up should not be punished by having their habit banned outright.

The ones at airports were the worst.

I can understand why there are restrictions on smoking, particularly when you are in restaurants and in pubs where food is served.

However, I don't think a total ban on smoking in public places would be particularly beneficial.

When I started smoking at the age of 18 I did feel peer pressure. I associated cigarettes with being grown up and looking mature.

One of my sisters, who is three years younger than me, started smoking before I did and she never got turned away from pubs.

I equated smoking with being able to buy an alcoholic drink without getting refused.

The addictive element of smoking didn't come straight away - I reckon it took a good year before my habit became a true part of me.

In the last few years I have been nagged more and more by my non-smoking parents to stop lighting up.

More money

I resisted their calls until 1 April this year.

Me and my two sisters named that day as the one we would all give up smoking.

I started in the knowledge that the members of our little group would support each other.

But it soon became clear that I was the only one who was really trying - one forgot to start and the other said it was bad timing (neither was really willing to give up).

I found my strength from Allen Carr's self-help book "Easy way to stop smoking".

It told me the first three weeks would be difficult. However, they were not as challenging as I had read or been told.

I was told the cravings would be there and hard to resist. They were, but I got through them.

There are a number of positives about not smoking. They include no awkward moments at social gatherings such as family events and weddings and having more money in your pocket.

It's great knowing that I am no longer forking out for a packet of 20 cigarettes a day.

I have to confess, though, a growing weakness to sweet things - biscuits and soft mints - since I gave up smoking.

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go back to cigarettes, however, I've put on a stone in weight in seven months and I know I could suppress piling on the pounds if I started to smoke again.