I don't understand why "depuis" is used here despite the fact that we use "depuis" for ongoing actions as stated in the lesson below.
"Je fumais depuis des années quand j'ai décidé d'arrêter"
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"Je fumais depuis des années quand j'ai décidé d'arrêter"
This is an “advanced” example - not “has been happening since” but “had been happening since”.
In this case the ongoing action was in the past. It was interrupted/stopped by another event - described in passé composé.
2 useful links below - look at “has been happening” and “had been happening” explanations especially.
https://www.thoughtco.com/depuis-pendant-pour-1368831
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/depuis-vs-il-y-a/
Je fumais depuis des années quand j’ai décidé d’arrêter. — I had been smoking for years when I decided to stop.
Note that in French you use imparfait where in English you find past perfect tense.
"Je fumais depuis des années quand j'ai décidé d'arrêter"
I don't understand why "depuis" is used here despite the fact that we use "depuis" for ongoing actions as stated in the lesson below.
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