Many Benefits of quitting smoking

There are benefits to quitting smoking, no matter when a smoker chooses to quit. When people stop smoking, they stop exposing their family and friends to second-hand smoke. Cigarettes are also the number one cause of fire-related deaths in Canada.

Health benefits

Stopping smoking lowers the risk of disease and increases a person's life expectancy. The health benefits of quitting begin within minutes of stopping. When smokers stop smoking:

• The bodies immediately begin to clean itself of tobacco poisons.
• Their risks of developing heart disease, cancer and lung diseases are reduced.
• Their overall health improves and they are more likely to live longer than those who continue to smoke.

The extent to which health risks are reduced depends on:

• the age people are when they quit
  • The younger people are when they quit, the greater the health benefits.
• how much and how long a person has smoked

After 1 day

• Your lungs work better and you won't feel quite as short of breath. You can climb stairs more easily.

After 2 days

• Your sense of taste and smell begin to return.
• You will cough more as your lungs get rid of mucus.

After a week

• The blood flow to your hands and feet will improve and you won't feel as cold.

Within 6 months

• You will notice less coughing, sinus congestion and shortness of breath.

After 1 year

• Your risk of dying from a heart attack is reduced by half.

People who have developed smoking-related illnesses also benefit from quitting. Even if people have had a heart attack, stopping smoking can reduce their chance of having another one by 50%. Quitting can also reduce the risk of dying prematurely by 50%.

Quitting smoking significantly reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer, and this benefit increases the longer a person remains smoke free. Within 10 years of quitting, the overall risk of dying from lung cancer is reduced by about half. Also, the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.

Women who stop smoking before or early in their pregnancy reduce the chances of miscarriage, stillbirth, an early (premature) birth, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and giving birth to a less healthy baby. Quitting smoking also allows the baby to get more oxygen it needs to grow and increases the chances that its lungs will work normally.

Benefits before and after surgery

For people having surgery, quitting smoking helps improve the body’s ability to heal. It also lowers the risk of pneumonia and breathing problems associated with surgery.

Benefits in people with cancer

Studies have shown that quitting smoking is still helpful even in people with cancer. If people with cancer continue to smoke, it may make their treatment less effective and may worsen treatment side effects. Quitting smoking may also lower the risk of the cancer returning or of developing a second cancer.

Saves money

Smoking is an expensive habit, so quitting saves money. People who quit don't have to buy tobacco and lighters, and may have their health and life insurance premiums reduced. Their clothes may also last longer because they won't accidentally burn holes in them.