Tobacco use in the United States causes more than 440,000 deaths
each year Of those deaths, 170,000 are from cancer
Once you quit smoking, you will add healthy days and years to your life And you
will significantly lower your risk of death from lung cancer and other diseases,
including:
- heart disease
- stomach cancer
- stroke
- bladder cancer
- emphysema
- esophageal cancer
- cervical cancer
- laryngeal cancer
- kidney cancer
- oral cancer
- acute myeloid leukemia
- throat cancer
- pancreatic cancer
The health of your loved ones also will benefit from your
quitting— they’ll no longer be exposed to dangerous secondhand smoke. Finally,
by quitting smoking, you’re setting a good example You’re showing others,
especially young people, that a life without cigarettes is a longer, healthier,
happier life.
Within 20 minutes of smoking that last cigarette, your body starts making
healthy changes that will continue for years You can look forward to the
following dramatic changes the moment you become an ex-smoker.
20 minutes after quitting
Your.heart.rate.drops.
12 hours after quitting
The.carbon.monoxide.level.in.your.blood.drops.. to.normal..
2 weeks to 3 months after quitting
Your.heart.attack.risk.begins.to.drop..Your.lung.. function.begins.to.improve..
1 to 9 months after quitting
Your.coughing.and.shortness.of.breath.decrease..
1 year after quitting
Your.added.risk.of.coronary.heart.disease.is.half.that.. of.a.smoker’s..
5 years after quitting
Your.stroke.risk.is.reduced.to.that.of.a.nonsmoker’s.. 5–15.years.after.quitting..
10 years after quitting
Your.lung.cancer.death.rate.is.about.half.that.of.. a.smoker’s..
15 years after quitting
Your.risk.of.coronary.heart.disease.is.back.to.that.of.. a.nonsmoker’s.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: What It Means to You. Atlanta, GA: 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, 2008.