Chances are the young man that stepped out of your favorite coffee house for a smoke just

now has tried to quit at some point. Who knows why his efforts didn't stick? It may have been that he, like most smokers who tried quitting in the last year, didn't get the support he needed. It may have been that he didn't use recommended methods. But what if he knew that if he put out his cigarette right now, in only 20 minutes he'd be enjoying better health?

More than one in five U.S. adults is a smoker. In 2009, that was more than 46 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of that group, 39.8 percent tried to quit in the past year, but only 10 to 20 percent of them are successful three months later, says Len Lichtenfeld, M.D., deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. And yet the younger you are when you stop smoking, the lower your rate of premature death. "The one best thing smokers can do for their health is stop smoking," says Lichtenfeld. "You have to look at the effects of cigarette smoking over time. If you are young, and you stop smoking, you can reduce your risk of cancer in your life." But no matter what your age, the health perks of quitting smoking are immediate as well as long-term. Here's a timeline detailing the benefits: The quit-smoking health benefits after 20 minutes to 3 months In the time it takes you to read the morning paper, your health can improve significantly when you stop smoking. "The overall health impact on the heart when you quit is dramatic and fairly quick," says Lichtenfeld. It takes just 20 minutes for your heart rate and blood pressure to drop, and less than a day for the carbon monoxide poisoning in your body that comes from cigarettes to dissipate.

After three months, your circulation will improve and your lungs will be working more efficiently. "When you smoke, there is an immediate reaction to your heart rate and blood pressure," says Lichtenfeld. "Lung function gets better within two weeks to three months after you stop quitting, but the improvements to the heart can be immediate. Smoking puts toxins in your body that affect the way the heart works, the blood vessels work, the organs work. And when you remove that toxin, that allows the body to start healing right away."

20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure will drop. 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood falls to normal. 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation and lung function improve.

The quit-smoking health benefits after 9 months to 1 year In the same time it would take a pregnant woman to carry a baby to term, or for you to celebrate one birthday and then another, you'll notice an improvement in the overall health of your lungs. You'll also notice improvement in heart function, and perhaps also in your ability to enjoy food. By nine months most people notice a decrease in coughing and easier breathing. Sometimes these changes can happen in as short a time as a couple of months. Lichtenfeld says the cold symptoms smokers seem to always have will frequently subside. This happens because the hairlike cilia in the lungs, which help remove mucus, regain function. Clearer lungs mean your risk of getting an infection is reduced.

Depending on how long you smoked before quitting, you may not be able to reverse some of the damage you've done to your lungs, but you can improve their overall health in other ways. "Once chronic emphysema happensa disease in the lung where the air sacks in the lung scar and

break down in a heavy smoker over timeit is not reversible," says Lichtenfeld. "But what can happen in some people is that the inflammation, the bronchitis, the coughing and the sputum, can stop." After one year, your heart rate and blood pressure will have decreased, lowering your overall risk of heart disease. If heart damage has already occurred, you won't be able to reverse it, but you will be able to improve your overall health. "The mechanisms in the body that can cause a heart attack due to smoking are certainly much less at one year after quitting," says Lichtenfeld. "A heart attack is a dynamic process that happens when many factors combine. If you don't smoke, [do] eat a healthy diet [and] keep your blood pressure under control, you may significantly lower the risk of having a heart attack." At this point, the senses of taste and smell may also improve, says Lichtenfeld. "People don't expect it, but when you talk to former smokers, one of the things they notice and appreciate is that they can actually taste their food again." Lichtenfeld cautions that some people who stop smoking gain weight because they aren't relying on cigarettes to curb their appetite. He suggests having an eating plan in place when you quit. "I'd rather people realize that and deal with the appetite issue, [rather] than deal with the bad effects of smoking," he says.

9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath are reduced. 1 year after quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is reduced to half of what it was when you smoked.

The quit-smoking health benefits after 5 to 15 years If you've managed to stay clean of cigarettes for the same amount of time it takes to raise a child until he or she enters kindergarten, then you've decreased your risk of heart disease and stroke

almost to the same level as if you'd never smoked. You've also significantly decreased your risk of lung cancer. Smokers are at increased risk for 15 types of cancer, including that of the lung, esophagus, stomach, bladder, kidney, pancreas and cervix, says Lichtenfeld. After 5 to 15 years, your risk of getting many of these cancers decreases significantly. "When you take away those chemicals that cause cancer, the risk of getting cancer is [lessened]," says Lichtenfeld. Your risk of lung cancer can be reduced, but never completely eliminated, if you've smoked. "Lung cancer is a serious issue," he says. "People who are heavy smokers over a long time, when they stop, the risk of lung cancer does not go away." However, your chance of getting a stroke does improve dramatically. "The risk of stroke decreases 5 to 15 years after people stop smoking," he says. So if youre thinking of quitting, or feeling vulnerable to starting again, take a breather, fix some breakfast, call a friend for a chat. In the time it took you to do either, you've already improved your health. A study by the British Medical Journal reported that individuals lose 11 minutes of their life for every cigarette smoked. So, sit back, do the math, and appreciate the number of 11minute segments you've gained by quitting, whether 20 minutes ago, one year ago, five or 15 years ago.

5 years after quitting: Your risk of stroke is the same as if you had never smoked. 10 years after quitting: Your chances of dying from lung cancer are now half of what it would have been had you continued to smoke. Your risk of getting cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas has also decreased.

15 years after quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is the same as if you'd never smoked.

Why should I quit? Your health Health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. This is a very real concern: smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Half of all smokers who keep smoking will end up dying from a smoking-related illness. In the United States alone, smoking is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths, and about 8.6 million people suffer from smoking-related lung and heart diseases. Cancer Nearly everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also linked to a higher risk for many other kinds of cancer too, including cancer of the mouth, nose, sinuses, lip, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, ovary, cervix, stomach, colon, rectum, and acute myeloid leukemia. Lung diseases Smoking greatly increases your risk of getting long-term lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These diseases make it harder to breathe, and are grouped together under the name chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). COPD causes chronic illness and disability, and gets worse over time sometimes becoming fatal. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis can be found in people as young as 40, but are usually found later in life, when the symptoms become much worse. Long-term smokers have the highest risk of developing severe COPD. Pneumonia is also included in the list of diseases caused or made worse by smoking.

Heart attacks, strokes, and blood vessel diseases Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as non-smokers. Smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Smoking also affects the walls of the vessels that carry blood to the brain (carotid arteries), which can cause strokes. Smoking can causeabdominal aortic aneurysm, in which the layered walls of the bodys main artery (the aorta) weaken and separate, often causing sudden death. And men who smoke are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction (impotence) because of blood vessel disease. Blindness and other problems Smoking increases the risk of macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in older people. It promotes cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye. It also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, gum disease, tooth loss, bad-smelling clothes and hair, and yellow teeth and fingernails. Special risks to women and babies Women have some unique risks linked to smoking. Women over 35 who smoke and use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots in the legs. Women who smoke are more likely to miscarry (lose the baby) or have a lower birth-weight baby. Low birthweight babies are more likely to die or have learning and physical problems. Years of life lost due to smoking

Based on data collected in the late 1990s, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking. Each year, smoking causes early deaths of about 443,000 people in the United States. And given the diseases that smoking can cause, it can steal your quality of life long before you die. Smoking-related illness can limit your activities by making it harder to breathe, get around, work, or play. Why quit now? No matter how old you are or how long youve smoked, quitting can help you live longer and be healthier. People who stop smoking before age 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared with those who keep smoking. Ex-smokers enjoy a higher quality of life. They have fewer illnesses like colds and the flu, lower rates of bronchitis and pneumonia, and feel healthier than people who still smoke. For decades the Surgeon General has reported the health risks linked to smoking. In 1990, the Surgeon General concluded:

Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. These benefits apply to people who already have smoking-related diseases and those who dont.

Ex-smokers live longer than people who keep smoking. Quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth-weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

The health benefits of quitting smoking are far greater than any risks from the small weight gain (usually less than 10 pounds) or any emotional or psychological problems that may follow quitting.

Last Last Revised: 07/08/2013

Medical

Review:

10/04/2012

http://www.cancer.org/healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/guidetoquittingsmoking/guide-to-quittingsmoking-why-quit

moking Cessation

Cessation and Interventions Fact Sheets

Overview Nicotine Dependence Health Benefits of Cessation Smokers' Attempts to Quit

Methods to Quit Smoking Helpful Resources References For Further Information

Overview Tobacco use can lead to tobacco/nicotine dependence and serious health problems. Cessation can significantly reduce the risk of suffering from smoking-related diseases. Tobacco/nicotine dependence is a chronic condition that often requires repeated interventions, but effective treatments and helpful resources exist. Smokers can and do quit smoking. In fact, today there are more former smokers than current smokers.1 Nicotine Dependence

Nicotine

is

the

psychoactive

drug

in

tobacco

products

that

produces

dependence.2,3,4,5 Most smokers are dependent on nicotine.2,3

Nicotine dependence is the most common form of chemical dependence in the United States.6 Research suggests that nicotine may be as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol.3,5

Quitting smoking is difficult and may require multiple attempts.3,4 Users often relapse because of stress, weight gain, and withdrawal symptoms.2,3,4

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms may include irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and increased appetite.1,2,3

Health Benefits of Cessation Breaking free from nicotine dependence is not the only reason to quit smoking. Tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals; hundreds are toxic, and about 70 can cause cancer.3,7 Tobacco smoke can cause serious health problems, numerous diseases, and death.3 Fortunately, people who stop smoking greatly reduce their risk for disease and premature death. Although the health benefits are greater for people who stop at earlier ages, cessation is beneficial at all ages.3,8,9 Smoking cessation is associated with the following health benefits:3,8,9

Smoking cessation lowers the risk for lung and other types of cancer. Smoking cessation reduces the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Coronary heart disease risk is substantially reduced within 1 to 2 years of quitting.

Smoking cessation reduces respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. The rate of decline in lung function is slower among people who quit smoking than among those who continue to smoke.

Smoking cessation reduces the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), one of the leading causes of death in the United States.

Smoking cessation by women during their reproductive years reduces the risk for infertility. Women who stop smoking during pregnancy also reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby.

Smokers' Attempts to Quit Among current U.S. adult smokers, 68.8% report that they want to quit completely, and millions have attempted to quit smoking.1 Starting in 2002, the number of former smokers has exceeded the number of current smokers.1 Percentage of adult smokers who stopped smoking for more than 1 day in 2010 because they were trying to quit:

52.4% of all adult smokers (23.7 million people)1,10 62.4% of smokers aged 1824 years1 56.9% of smokers aged 2544 years1 45.5% of smokers aged 4564 years1 43.5% of smokers aged 65 years or older1

Percentage of high school smokers who stopped smoking for more than 1 day in 2009 because they were trying to quit:

50.8% of all high school students who smoke11

Methods to Quit Smoking The majority of cigarette smokers quit without using evidence-based cessation treatments.1 However, the following treatments are proven effective for smokers who want help to quit:2

Brief clinical interventions (i.e., when a doctor takes 10 minutes or less to deliver advice and assistance about quitting)

Counseling (e.g., individual, group, or telephone counseling and quitlines; online smoking cessation programs)

Behavioral cessation therapies (e.g., training in problem solving) Treatments with more person-to-person contact and intensity (e.g., more time with counselors)

Cessation medications found to be effective for treating tobacco dependence include the following:

Nicotine replacement products1

o

Over-the-counter (e.g., nicotine patch, gum, lozenge) Prescription (e.g., nicotine inhaler, nasal spray)

Prescription non-nicotine medications, such as bupropion SR (Zyban)2 and varenicline tartrate (Chantix).2,12

The combination of medication and counseling is more effective for smoking cessation than either medication or counseling alone.2 Helpful Resources

Quitline Services

1-800-QUIT-NOW

is a free telephone support service that can help individuals who want

to stop smoking or using tobacco. Callers have access to several types of cessation information and services, including:

Free support and advice from experienced counselors A personalized quit plan Self-help materials Social support and coping strategies The latest information about cessation medications Over-the-counter nicotine replacement medications for eligible participants (available in more than half of U.S. states)

Online Information

The following Web sites provide free, accurate, evidence-based information and professional assistance to help support the immediate and long-term needs of people trying to quit smoking. If you want to quit, here's where you can find help:

Tips From Former Smokers Web site: provides more information about the Tips campaign, including additional videos and links to podcasts by participants.

CDC's Smoking & Tobacco Use Web site: CDC's one-stop shop for information about tobacco and smoking cessation.

BeTobaccoFree.gov

is

the

Department

of

Health

and

Human

Services'

comprehensive Web site providing one-stop access to tobacco-related information from across its agencies. This consolidated resource includes general information on tobacco as well as federal and state laws and policies, health statistics, and evidence-based methods on how to quit.

Smokefree.gov

provides free, accurate, evidence-based information and professional

assistance to help support the immediate and long-term needs of people trying to quit smoking.

SmokefreeWomen

provides

free,

accurate,

evidence-based

information

and

professional assistance to help support the immediate and long-term needs of women trying to quit smoking.

Quit Tobacco: Make Everyone Proud

is a Department of Defense-sponsored Web

site for military personnel and their families.

SfT (Smokefree Teen)

is a site devoted to helping teens quit smoking.

SmokefreeTXT

is a teen texting site.

Smokefree.gov (en Espanol)

is a Spanish-language quitting site.

CDCs How to Quit Web pages provide more useful information to help you quit.

Publications Visit CDC's Online Publications Catalog to order free copies of cessation-related materials as well as other helpful resources pertaining to tobacco control and prevention.

References 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Quitting Smoking Among AdultsUnited States, 20012010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2011;60(44):151319 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 2. Fiore MC, Jan CR, Baker TB, Bailey WC, Benowitz NL, Curry SJ, Dorfman SF, Froelicher ES, Goldstein MG, Froelicher ES, Healton CG, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 UpdateClinical Practice Guidelines. . Rockville (MD):

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2008 [accessed 2013 June 5].

3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2010 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2000 [accessed 2013 June 5].

5. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Research Report Series: Tobacco Addiction.

Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2009 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 6. American Society of Addiction Medicine. Public Policy Statement on Nicotine Dependence and Tobacco. Chevy Chase (MD): American Society of Addiction

Medicine, 2010 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 7. National Edition. Toxicology Program. Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth

Research Triangle Park (NC): U.S. Department of Health and Human

Sciences, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology Program, 2011 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 9. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. . Atlanta: U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1990 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged 18 YearsUnited States, 20052010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online] 2011;60(35):120712 [accessed 2013 June 5]. 11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance United States, 2009. (PDF3.51 MB). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online] 2010;59(SS5) [accessed 2013 June 5]. 12. U.S. Food and Drug Administration The FDA Approves Novel Medication for Smoking Cessation. FDA Consumer, 2006 [cited 2013 June 5]. For Further Information ww.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/ Smoking and Older Adults Older smokers are at greater risks from smoking because they have smoked longer (an average of 40 years), tend to be heavier smokers, and are more likely to suffer from smoking-related

illnesses. They are also significantly less likely than younger smokers to believe that smoking harms their health.1 Key Facts About Tobacco Use Among Older Adults

Today's generation of older Americans had smoking rates among the highest of any U.S. generation. In the mid-1960s, about 54 percent of adult males were current smokers and another 21 percent were former smokers; in 2008, about 23 percent of adult males were smokers and another 24 percent were former smokers.2

In 2008, over 17 million Americans over the age of 45 smoked, accounting for over 22 percent of all adult smokers. Nine percent of Americans over 65 years of age currently smoked.3

Health Effects of Smoking

An estimated 438,000 Americans die each year from diseases caused by smoking. Smoking is responsible for more than one in five U.S. deaths.4 About half of all regular cigarette smokers will eventually be killed by the addiction.5

Smoking is directly responsible for more than 90 percent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, or emphysema and chronic bronchitis) deaths and approximately 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in women and men, respectively. Smoking is also a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke and lower respiratory tract infections - all leading causes of death in those over 50 years of age.6

COPD prevalence rates are highest among those 65 years of age and older and the disease consistently ranks among the top ten most common chronic health conditions and sources

of daily activity limitation. COPD is the fourth-leading cause of death and is predicted to become third by 2020.7

Men 65 or older who smoke are twice as likely to die from a stroke, and women smokers are about one and a half times as likely to die from a stroke than their nonsmoking counterparts. The risk of dying from a heart attack is 60 percent higher for smokers than nonsmokers 65 or older.8

Cigarette smokers have a far greater chance of developing dementia of any kind including Alzheimer's disease compared to nonsmokers.9 Smokers also have two to three times the risk of developing cataracts, the leading cause of blindness and visual loss, as nonsmokers.10

Smoking reduces one's normal life expectancy by an average of 13 to 15 years - thereby eliminating retirement years for most smokers.11

Benefits of Quitting Smoking for Older Adults

Quitting smoking has proven health benefits, even at a late age. When an older person quits smoking, circulation improves immediately, and the lungs begin to repair damage. In one year, the added risk of heart disease is cut almost in half, and risk of stroke, lung disease, and cancer diminish. Among smokers who quit at age 65, men gained 1.4 to 2.0 years of life and women gained 2.7 to 3.4 years.12

Just cutting down on cigarettes, but not quitting entirely, does not reduce mortality risks from tobacco-related diseases.13

A study found that middle-aged smokers and former smokers with mild or moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease breathed easier after quitting. After one year the women who quit smoking had 2 times more improvement in lung function compared with the men who quit.14

Many older adults say they do not quit smoking because doing so offers no benefit at an advanced age. However, there is strong evidence that smoking cessation even late in life not only adds years to life, but also improves quality of life. Similar to this belief, most obstacles brought up by older adults for not quitting are based on incorrect information, such as the potential health risks from cessation aids like nicotine replacement therapy.15

Although most former smokers preferred quitting cold turkey, less than 5 percent will have long term success.16 Using a tobacco treatment plan doubles the quitting success rate. Treatments for quitting smoking have been found to be effective and could decrease health care costs. Effective treatments combine counseling and medications.17

For more information on tobacco, please review the Trends in Tobacco Use report in the Data and Statistics section of our website at www.lung.org, or call the American Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872). February 2010 Sources:

1 Rimer BK, Orleans CT, Keintz MK, Cristinzio S, & Fleisher L. The older smoker: status, challenges and opportunities for intervention. Chest. 1990; 97:547-53.

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 1965-2006. Calculations for 1997-2006 were performed by the American Lung Association Research and Program Services Division using SPSS and SUDAAN software. 3 Ibid. 4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Productivity LossesUnited States, 19972001. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. July 1, 2005; 54(25):625-628. Accessed on October 3, 2007. 5 World Health Organization. Programmes and Projects. Tobacco Free Initiative. WHO Report on Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 The MPOWER Package: Tobacco Facts. Accessed March 3, 2008.

6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Department of Health and Human Services. Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2004.

7 Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy People 2010. Progress Review: Respiratory Health. June 29, 2004. Accessed on February 29, 2008.

8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual Smoking-Attribute Mortality, Years of Potential Life Lost, and Economic Costs United States, 1995-1999. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2002;51(4):3003-3.

9 Anstey KJ, von Sanden C, Salim A, O'Kearney R. Smoking as a Risk Factor for Dementia and Cognitive Decline: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies. American Journal of Epidemiology. August 15 2007; 166:367-378.

10 U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report

of 11 Ibid.

the

Surgeon

General,

2004.

12 Taylor DH, Hasselblad V, Henley J, Thun MD, & Sloan FA. Benefits of Smoking Cessation for Longevity. American Journal of Public Health. 2002; 92:990-6.

13 Godtfredsen NS, Holst C, Prescott E, Vestbo J, & Olser M. Smoking Reduction, Smoking Cessation, and Mortality: A 16-year Follow-up of 19,732 Men and Women from the Copenhagen Centre for Prospective Population Studies. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2002; 156:994-1001.

14 Connett JE, Murray RP, Buist AS, Wise RA, Bailey WC, Lindgren PG, Owens GR. Changes in Smoking Status Affect Women More than Men: Results of the Lung Health Study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2003; 157: 973-979.

15 Kerr S, Watson H, Tolson D, Lough M, & Brown M. Developing Evidence-Based Smoking Cessation Training/Education Initiatives in Partnership with Older People and Health Professionals. Caledonian Nursing & Midwifery Research Centre: Glasgow 2004.

16 Hughes JR, Keely J & Naud S. Shape of the Relapse Curve and Long-Term Abstinence Among Untreated Smokers. Addiction. January 2004; 99:29-38.

17 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. Clinical Practice Guideline. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. May 2008. http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/education/benefits.aspx

Benefits of Quitting There are many, many reasons to quit smoking. Here are a few good reasons to quit:

Short and Long-Term Benefits Social Benefits Specific Benefits to Women Specific Benefits to Seniors Life Expectancy

Short and Long-Term Benefits 20 minutes after the last cigarette

Blood pressure drops to normal. Pulse rate drops to normal. Hand and foot temperature rises to normal.

8 hours after the last cigarette

Blood carbon monoxide levels drop to normal. Blood oxygen level increases to normal.

1 day after the last cigarette:

Chances of heart attack and stroke start decreasing.

2 days after the last cigarette:

Sense of taste and smell begin to heighten.

Certain nerve endings begin to re-grow. Nicotine by-products are removed from the body.

3 days after the last cigarette

Bronchial tubes start to relax, making breathing easier. Lung capacity begins to improve.

2 to 12 weeks after the last cigarette

Walking and aerobic exercises become easier.

1 month after the last cigarette

Circulation improves. You experience more energy.

1 to 3 months after the last cigarette

Lung function increases up to 30 percent. Bronchial cilia begin to re-grow, there is an increased ability to clean lungs, chances of infection are reduced, and pollutants are cleared.

Overall body energy increases.

1 to 12 months after the last cigarette

Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease.

2 to 4 after the last cigarette

The risk of developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease reduces by 5%.

1 year after the last cigarette

The risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease reduces by 50%.

2 years after the last cigarette

The risk is reduced for recurrence of ulcers. The ability for short-term healing is improved. The risk of death from heart disease declines 24%.

3 years after the last cigarette

The risk of heart attack and stroke approaches that of someone who has never smoked.

5 years after the last cigarette

The risk of developing mouth, esophageal, throat and bladder cancer reduces by 50%.

5 to 15 years after the last cigarette

The risk of stroke reduces to that of someone who has never smoked.

10 years after the last cigarette

Pre-cancerous cells are replaced by healthy, normal cells. There is a 50% to 70% reduction in the risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of pancreatic cancer is reduced.

10 to 14 years after the last cigarette

The risk of developing Heart Disease drops to that of someone who never smoked.

15 years after your last cigarette

The risk of developing lung cancer is the same as non-smokers. For Congestive Heart Disease, the risk reduces to the same as someone who has never smoked.

Life expectancy is as long as that of a non-smoker!

top

Social Benefits

If you pay any kind of health insurance, your premiums will decrease. Youll feel in control, instead of feeling that cigarettes controlling them. Youll feel an enhanced sense of self-esteem. Your family will no longer be subjected to second-hand smoke, and as a result theyll be healthier, both now and in the future.

Youll begin to gain a healthy appearance. You won't have to leave any non-smoking gatherings just to have a smoke. Smoking is very expensive youll see your bank account grow or you can put your money towards something that youve always wanted.

Compared to smokers, people who quit are more likely to exercise regularly.

top

Specific Benefits to Women

If women didn't smoke during pregnancy, fetal and infant deaths would be reduced by approximately 10%.

Women who quit smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy have the same low risk of having a low birth weight baby as women who have never smoked.

For women who quit smoking in the later stages of pregnancy, infants have higher birth weight compared to women who continue to smoke.

2 years after the last cigarette, their risk of cervical cancer reduces. Non-smokers reach menopause 1 - 2 years later than smokers.

top

Specific Benefits to Seniors Smoking in later life has also been associated with higher rates of physical disability, poorer selfperceived health status, higher levels of depressive symptoms, lower levels of physical function, bone mineral density, pulmonary function, and muscle strength. Seniors who quit smoking bring about improvement in general health and well-being. top

Life Expectancy

If a smoker quits before age 35, their life expectancy is the same as non-smokers. If a smoker quits between the age of 35 and 65, add 5 years to their life expectancy as compared to others who continues to smoke.

If a smoker quits between the age of 65 and 74, add 1 year to their life expectancy as compared to someone who continues to

- See more at: http://www.stopsmokingcenter.net/education/benefits.aspx#sthash.Pyf50aBk.dpuf