Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years. (www.cdc.gov/tobacco)
- 20 Minutes After Quitting:
- 12 hours After Quitting:
- 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.
- Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.
- 15 Years After Quitting:
- Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker’s.
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