“Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it a thousand times.” –Mark Twain

No Smoking

It’s March 10, 2010. Welcome to No Smoking Day in the UK. IF you’ve tried quitting before only to start again, you’re not alone. No Smoking signs are everywhere depending on where you live: bars, restaurants, parks, campuses, casinos, apartment buildings, bus stops, airports, train stations. Though it’s still okay to smoke inside in certain areas, many places are banning smoking. There may come a day when you’re only allowed to smoke in your own home. Might as well quit now… in this case, quitting is a good thing.

Smokers try quitting all the time. Those who successfully quit will attest to trying and failing to quit several times. Some quit  Here are some of the most important health benefits of quitting according to the US Surgeon General’s report:

  • 20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
  • 12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
  • 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your 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) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
  • 1 year after quitting: The excess 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 non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
  • 10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a person who continues smoking. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease, too.
  • 15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker’s.

Alongside these health benefits, you have the obvious day-to-day benefits such as:

  • No more nicotine stained fingers and fingernails
  • Better smelling clothes, skin, and hair
  • Better smelling breath and whiter teeth
  • Increased energy
  • Food tastes better and sense of smell returns
  • YOU SAVE A LOT OF MONEY

Whether you’re quitting cold turkey, using gum or the patch, or working with your healthcare professional, quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Not only is smoking pretty much socially unacceptable, it’s a major health risk. Smoking leads to many serious diseases that can lead to physical impairment and death. According to research published to coincide with No Smoking Day, smokers should seek medical help to quit as only 3% of people who quit cold turkey manage to stay smoke free for at least a year.

For more on quitting smoking, visit the American Cancer Society’s Guide to Quitting Smoking. There you’ll find a full list of benefits, helpful tips, and methods of quitting.