Husband lying about smoking

[Paperbear]

My husband stopped smoking about 4 years ago when our son was born which is great.

However recently on occasion I caught a whiff of smoke and confronted him about it. Deep down I didn't mind as I know its very hard to completly give up smoke. However he always came up with an elaborate excuse like I've been with person x today who was smoking.

Today I caught him smoking and he told me that was his first cigarette and he hasn't smoked without me knowing. I caught him in the garden and he threw the cigarette to the side when I saw him.
I really don't know how to react, to be OK with this or not. I doubt it is first cigarette he has had. I just didn't like how he tried to cover it up. How to move forward from this.

It's probably guilt and denial. From experience starting again after being quit for years feel awful. I felt I had totally let myself down. Stopping the second time I now wish I'd never had a sneaky fag when I though nobody knew. He's probably ribbing himself about it more than anything. He might as well just smoke now he's hooked again until he's ready to stop again.

It's a tough one!
He might feel he's let you down, let himself down.
Just speak to him, ask him to be honest if he's done it all along etc.
Then all you can do is support him in his choice.
He'll give up again when he's ready to.

You know when someone has been smoking.. you can smell it on them .. their clothes .. their hands.. you can taste it.. no matter how well they believe they disguise it.. they really don't ..

He either wants to stop or he doesn't..

He needs to now be honest and say he doesn't want to stop as he enjoys it.. then take it from there..

my aunt only smokes outside the house ... in her garden.. 40 odd years she has done this.. you can only tell she smokes from being within close range to her .. her house does not smell of her smoking ..

works for her family 🌸