What are the Benefits of Quitting Smoking?

Many smokers think that because they have smoked for so long the damage has been done and it is too late to quit. This is not true. All smokers, no matter how heavy they smoke will notice significant benefits after quitting smoking.

These are some of the benefits of quitting smoking and how soon they could happen after you quit:

Within 20 Minutes of your last cigarette:

• Blood pressure may drop to normal level.
• Pulse rate drops to normal.
• Body temperature of hands and feet increase to normal

Within 8 Hours:

• Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.
• Oxygen level in blood increases.

Within 24 Hours:

• May reduce chance of heart attack.

Within 48 Hours:

• Nerve endings may re-grow.
• Sense of smell and taste is improved.

Within 72 Hours:

• Bronchial tubes (airways) relax; if undamaged, will make breathing easier.
• Lung capacity increases.

2 Weeks to 3 Months:

• Circulation improves.
• Walking becomes easier.
• Lung function may increase up to 20 percent.

1 Month to 9 Months:

• Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath may decrease markedly over a number of weeks.
• Potential for cilia to re-grow in lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucous, clean the lungs and reduce infection.

1 Year:

• The risk of heart disease is reduced by half. After 15 years, the risk is similar to that of someone who has never smoked.

2 Years:

• Cervical cancer risk is reduced compared to continuing smokers.
• Bladder cancer risk halved compared to continuing smokers.

5 Years:

• 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of someone who has never smoked.
• Lung cancer death rate for average smoker (one pack a day) decreases from 137 per 100,00 to 72 per 100,000.

10 Years and Longer

• Pre-cancerous cells are replaced.
• Risk of other cancers - such as those of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease.
• After long-term quitting the risk of death from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is reduced compared to someone who continues to smoke.

Time periods mentioned are to be taken as a general measure only and will naturally vary from individual to individual and are dependent upon length of habit and amount of cigarettes smoked.

Reprinted with permission. Public Health and Long-Term Care Branch-City of Ottawa (2006). Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking.