Quitting Smoking
It's never too late to quit smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, about half of all smokers who keep smoking will die from a smoking-related disease. Quitting has immediate health benefits.
Better Health After Quitting |
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Time after last cigarette |
Physical Response |
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20 minutes |
Blood pressure and pulse rates return to normal. |
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8 hours |
Levels of carbon monoxide and oxygen in the blood return to normal. |
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24 hours |
Chance of heart attack begins to decreases. |
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48 hours |
Nerve endings start to regrow. Your ability to taste and smell increases. |
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72 hours |
Bronchial tubes relax and the lungs can fill with more air. |
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2 weeks to 3 months |
Improved circulation; lung function increases up to 30%. |
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1 to 9 months |
Decreased rates of coughing, sinus infection, fatigue, and shortness of breath; regrowth of cilia in the airways, increasing the ability to clear mucus and clean the lungs and reducing the chance of infection; overall energy level increases. |
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Long-Term Effects |
After a year, risk of dying from heart attack and stroke is reduced by up to 50%. |
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 70% of adults in the U.S. who smoke want to quit. About 40% of them make a serious attempt to do so each year, but fewer than 5 percent actually succeed. A June 2006 report published by the NIH says that the available smoking cessation products and therapies are greatly underused. If more smokers asked for or were offered such help, the agency says quit rates could double or triple.
At this time perhaps the most effective method for quitting is a combination of nicotine replacement therapy, antidepressants (such as Zyban), and professional counseling.
Cold Turkey
About 4% of smokers who quit without any outside help succeed. Nevertheless, most people try to quit alone, and many have reported activities that can help the process of withdrawal. The primary obstacle in trying to quit alone is making the behavioral changes necessary to eliminate the habits associated with smoking. Excellent books, tapes, and manuals are available and are strongly recommended to help people who want to quit without other assistance.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine replacement therapy involves the use of products that provide low doses of nicotine that do not contain the contaminant found in smoke. The goal of therapy is to relieve cravings for nicotine and ease the symptoms of withdrawal.
In general, nicotine replacement therapy benefits moderate to heavy smokers the most. However, it does appear somewhat helpful for light smokers (people who smoke less than 15 cigarettes a day).
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