HSE Offering Free Stop Smoking Support and Therapy to Help You QUIT for Good in 2026

A Charleville man who spent years trapped in a cycle of training for marathons and then returning to cigarettes has finally broken free, thanks to the HSE's QUIT smoking service and free nicotine replacement therapy.

Bart Przemyslaw, 32, from Charleville, Co Cork, gave up smoking six months ago after struggling with the habit since he was 15. Despite being fit enough to run marathons, Bart found himself caught in a pattern of smoking heavily between races, with the cycle taking a toll on his health, appearance and mood.

After completing the Tokyo Marathon in February last year, Bart returned to smoking until he began preparing for the Brussels Marathon in October. His face looked red and stressed, his blood pressure was elevated, and the cost of cigarettes was mounting.

Bart Przemyslaw:

"I started smoking at 15 and from the age of 25 I tried each year to stop. I tried lozenges and patches on my own but always went back to cigarettes after two weeks. Between pressure at work and smoking I noticed my face was red and I was stressed looking. My blood pressure was up, and smoking was expensive."

Everything changed when Bart saw an advertisement for the HSE QUIT service and rang the QUITline. He was assigned a stop smoking advisor named Beverley, who provided ongoing support and arranged free nicotine replacement therapy. Crucially, she explained how to use the NRT correctly and in sufficient amounts to manage cravings.

Bart Przemyslaw:

"On each call she built me up to the point that I looked forward to her next call. There was one time after two months where I smoked one cigarette and I thought I had ruined my chances at becoming smoke free, but Beverley encouraged me to keep going. I was in such a low mood for so long and to have someone to support me in stopping smoking was great. Without the QUIT service from the HSE, I cannot imagine stopping smoking."

Beverley praised Bart's determination throughout his quit journey.

Beverley, Stop Smoking Advisor:

"It has been such a pleasure working with Bart on his QUIT smoking journey. His story is one of real determination and despite the challenges, he stayed focused on his goal to improve his fitness. Bart's journey has been nothing short of inspirational; his resilience, positive outlook, and focus have left a lasting impression on me."

With Beverley's support, Bart completed the Brussels Marathon in under three and a half hours and, for the first time in years, didn't smoke afterwards. He has taken up hiking and track running, and even bought a drone with the money saved from not smoking to document his new hobbies in a video for his advisor.

Bart Przemyslaw:

"I am free now, after so many years. The feeling that I do not need to smoke is amazing. I understand more about addiction having been through the programme and I am determined to stay quit for good this time."

Martina Blake, National Lead, HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme:

"Bart's story shows the difference that getting support to quit can make. Smoking is a complex behaviour which has physical and psychological dependence elements and our trained stop smoking advisors can work with you to create a personalised stop smoking plan tailored to fit your lifestyle. They can advise you on NRT and provide this to you for free. This support can double your chance of quitting by helping address the physical cravings as well as working on your smoking triggers and the emotional side of quitting smoking."

The HSE QUIT service is free and available all year round. Support options include phone support from the Freephone QUITline on 1800 201 203, text 'QUIT' to 50100, an online personalised QUIT plan through the HSE app, face-to-face and group support from local community services, a free QUIT Kit, and advice on nicotine replacement therapy and stop smoking medication.

In the last five years, the number of people using HSE QUIT has doubled and the proportion who successfully quit at the end of their programme has increased by 50 per cent. The service follows National Stop Smoking Guidelines and provides free access to support and stop smoking medications.

The HSE advises those trying to quit not to go it alone, to focus on staying smoke-free for one day at a time until reaching 28 days (after which people are up to five times more likely to stay quit for good), and to use stop smoking medicine such as nicotine replacement therapy to deal with cravings safely and effectively.