What are the benefits of quitting?
At 20 minutes after quitting:
blood pressure decreases
pulse rate drops
body temperature of hands and feet increases
At 8 hours:
carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
oxygen level in blood increases to normal
At 24 hours:
chance of a heart attack decreases
At 48 hours:
nerve endings start growing back
ability to smell and taste is enhanced
At 2 weeks to 3 months
circulation improves
walking becomes easier
lung function increases
1 to 9 months:
coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
1 year:
excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker>
At 5 years
from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.
At 10 years:
risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
risk of ulcer decreases
At 15 years:
risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked