Sarah Harris: "For far too long, it’s been my dirty little secret."

Studio Ten presenter and Channel 10 journalist Sarah Harris has written for The Daily Telegraph about her latest attempt to quit smoking.

Harris doesn’t describe herself as a casual or party smoker.

Rather, she says she’s a “full-blown, pack-a-day, gasping-for-air-when-I-wake-up-in-the-morning, this-is-definitely-going-to-kill-me-if-I-don’t-stop kind.”

But now she’s decided it’s time to stop – and she’s going public so that everyone can help keep her honest and on track.

Harris confesses she had her first cigarette at 21, and says she regretted the decision almost immediately.

“Like most smokers, I fell into the trap. I can still vividly remember everything about the moment I became hooked. There was a dingy nightclub, the air hanging heavy with the stale tang of tobacco, and the lie I would live to regret ever telling myself: ‘Oh it’s okay, I can just have one…'”

But this time, she’s declared she’s going cold turkey without looking back. For her own health, and for the sake of her husband Tom Ward, who she married earlier this year. 

Harris met Ward, who works in IT, in a bar five years ago, and is keen to one day begin a family with him.

“After seeing the fear and worry in his eyes every time I light up, I promised him that once we were married, I’d extinguish my final cigarette,” Harris said.

“This time, there’s a lot a stake: we eventually want a family and he doesn’t want to be holding my hand in some hospital oncology ward twenty years down the track.”

Every year smoking kills approximately 15,000 Australians, leaving sufferers’ families and friends devastated. Harris says that all smokers know they need to stop: “Smokers who say they don’t want to quit are, quite frankly, liars”.

Undoubtedly Harris’ message will inspire more Aussie smokers to give up their cigarette habit and swap the nicotine hit for a longer, healthier life with family and friends.

You can call the QuitLine on 13 78 48 or visit quitnow.gov.au for resources to help kick the habit.