Benefits of Quitting



Many people who quit smoking are surprised by how good they feel and how quickly they notice the health benefits. Quitting smoking has immediate and long term health benefits that improve your day-to-day life in many ways. 

When you quit:

  • You won’t have to find specific places and times to smoke, and you won’t have to worry about exposing loved-ones to secondhand smoke. You won’t have to make sure you always have cigarettes, no more late night runs to the corner store, and you’ll have more money to put towards that dream vacation.--Your car, home, clothes, and hair won’t have the lingering smell of smoke.

  • Your skin and nails will look healthier, your teeth will look whiter and your breath will be fresher.  You will have a better sense of smell and food tastes better! You will have more energy for everyday activities, like playing with your kids, and being physically active.

  • You will lower your risk of developing cancer, stroke, heart attacks and heart disease, and other tobacco-related diseases dramatically decreases.

  • If you’re pregnant, the immediate and long term health benefits your baby will experience increase enormously.

  • Your partner, friends, family, children, grandchildren, and co-workers will be so proud of you. This boost of confidence will help you through the hard times! [10, 22]

Benefits Your Body Experiences After Quitting Smoking

  • 20 minutes after quitting – Heart rate and blood pressure return to normal

  • 12 hours after quitting – Carbon Monoxide levels in your blood return to normal

  • 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting – Circulation improves and lung function increases

  • 1 to 9 months after quitting – Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) start to regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce risk of infection

  • 1 year after quitting – Excess risk of coronary heart disease are cut in half compared to people who continue to smoke

  • 5 years after quitting – Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half. Risk of cervical cancer falls to that of a non-smoker. Stroke risk decreases to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years

  • 10 years after quitting – Risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. The risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas also decreases

  • 15 years after quitting – Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker [10]