Hay River (Jan 01/07) - The first day of January can be tough for hung- over New Year's Eve revellers, and even tougher for those who have chosen today to quit smoking.

Allison Aylward of Hay River kept a New Year's resolution to stop smoking - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

But all those people just beginning their new lives as non-smokers can take heart, because others have successfully kept that common New Year's resolution.

A year ago today, Hay River's Allison Aylward was just hours into being a non-smoker.

On Dec. 31, 2005, Aylward smoked what she hoped was her last cigarette as the seconds ticked down to midnight. She took one final puff and flicked the cigarette butt into the community bonfire on the banks of the Hay River.

She has not had a cigarette since.

Aylward had smoked on and off for years. "I tried quitting lots of times."

She even tried quitting with New Year's resolutions before, but without lasting success.

Part of the problem was many of her friends also quit at New Year's, Aylward explained. "Everyone else quit at the same time, and they all started again."

She said, over the past year, it was a matter of finally really wanting to quit and having the willpower to stick with it.

Some people laugh at smokers who make a New Year's resolution to stop smoking, she noted, but added, "You get the last laugh when you quit."

Making a resolution to quit smoking at New Year's is very common, said Miriam Wideman, the health promotion specialist for tobacco use reduction with the Department of Health and Social Services.

"It's starting a new year and starting off on the right foot," she said. "A lot of people do it."

However, she said success depends on whether an individual is motivated and really ready to fight the physical addiction of nicotine.

Even if a person eventually goes back to smoking, the effort to quit is still worthwhile, Wideman said. "It shouldn't be looked on as a failure."

Instead, she explained it should be viewed as a learning experience, noting the majority of people don't quit on the first try. In fact, it takes Canadians an average of almost four tries before they successfully quit.

Wideman noted there is information available from her department to help people quit, and even online support groups for non-smokers.

As for Aylward, she doesn't think the New Year has to be the only time to quit smoking.

"Any time is a good time," she said.