Cotonou – Eric Loko, 37, is a former smoker who managed to quit after eleven years of addiction. His journey reflects both the harmful effects of tobacco and the strength of will require to regain control of one’s health and life.

Eric began smoking at the age of 22, during a particularly difficult period in his life. After family problems, he found himself alone with his two children, facing many responsibilities and deep emotional stress.

"My wife packed her bags, she left, and she left me with the children. That brought me too many thoughts, too many worries."
Emotionally vulnerable and influenced by his surroundings, he gradually turned to tobacco.

"There were friends I hung out with, and they smoked. Little by little, I started smoking with them, as if to socialize better."

For more than ten years, cigarettes were part of his daily life. But over time, Eric began to feel pain in his lungs.

"I wondered if it wasn’t the cigarette smoke playing tricks on me. But my friends laughed at me every time."

Concerned about his health, and encouraged by the advice of a retired doctor who raised awareness among young people in working-class neighborhoods, he decided to put an end to the habit.

Quitting, however, was not easy. Eric explains that he faced strong temptations, especially around other smokers. The smell of cigarettes sometimes pushed him to relapse. To succeed, he chose to gradually reduce his consumption before stopping completely.

"If I used to take three sticks, I started by taking only one so that one day I could stop altogether."

He also recalls going through several difficult periods during withdrawal, marked by episodes of fever he initially thought were linked to malaria. He later realized these symptoms appeared mainly when he lacked cigarettes and disappeared after smoking, which made him understand the extent of his dependence. Despite these challenges, he remained determined to quit for good.

Today, it has been nearly four years since he last smoked. Since then, he says he has regained better health, physical well-being, and new self-confidence.

"My complexion, my freshness, everything came back," he says with a smile. "I saw that there were changes in my body and in my health too."

Through his experience, Eric Loko hopes to encourage all smokers to believe in their ability to quit. For him, the decision depends above all on personal willpower, patience, and determination.

"It all depends on oneself. If I was able to quit, others can also make that decision."