Hi Harry,
The only way you can achieve good diabetes control is to be pro-active in your own diabetes management, stopping smoking would be the first step and cutting back on alcohol too if you drink over the recommended limit.
Not sure if your on basal/bolus as your profile doesn't say, however if you are there's a carb counting course called DAFNE which teaches type 1's to match their insulin to cover the carbs that they eat, it covers a lot of other things too such as getting your basal dose right, sick-day rules and exercising, it really is a very worthwhile course and many on the forum have benefited from it.