Former England goalkeeper David James has joined an NHS campaign aiming to stub out smoking for good.
All smokers are being urged to ditch the habit in January to deter future generations from taking it up.
As part of the new project, former Liverpool and Manchester City star David, 53, has shared his experiences of exposure to cigarettes as a child.
He said: “I smoked for about 15 years, and at the time it was normal.
“My mum smoked, my friends smoked, it was around me. It didn’t take long for me to be hooked.
“Looking back, it had a huge impact on my health and performance at the time. I wish I never started.
“My health, my children and my fans were huge motivators for me to quit.
“I didn’t want younger people to see me smoking and think it was OK.”
There are 5.3 million adult smokers in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Research suggests those aged 14 to 17 are three times more likely to take up smoking if people around them do it.
The launch of the NHS campaign comes after Rishi Sunak vowed to create a “smoke-free generation” with new legislation that would essentially prevent anyone who turns 14 this year from ever buying cigarettes.
