Over time, people who quit smoking see many benefits to their health. After quitting, the body begins a series of positive changes that continue for years. Some benefits of quitting smoking occur quickly while others occur over time:1,2,3,4
See Also
Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products10 of the Worst Diseases Smoking Causes | State of Tobacco ControlCan Walking Lower Blood Pressure in Patients With Hypertension?Minutes after quitting
- Heart rate drops
24 hours after quitting
- Nicotine level in the blood drops to zero
Several days after quitting
- Carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to level of someone who does not smoke
1 to 12 months after quitting
- Coughing and shortness of breath decrease
1 to 2 years after quitting
- Risk of heart attack drops sharply
3 to 6 years after quitting
- Added risk of coronary heart disease drops by half
5 to 10 years after quitting
- Added risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box drops by half
- Risk of stroke decreases
10 years after quitting
- Added risk of lung cancer drops by half after 10-15 years
- Risk of cancers of the bladder, esophagus, and kidney decreases
15 years after quitting
- Risk of coronary heart disease drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke
20 years after quitting
- Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke
- Risk of pancreatic cancer drops to close to that of someone who does not smoke
- Added risk of cervical cancer drops by about half
Reduced risks refer to cessation in comparison to continued smoking.
