Concept

Quitting Benefits

HE A LTH EDUC A TION H E A L T H 1 0 0 V E R S I O N 3 / Myths about Smoking and Cigarettes

"An occasional cigarette is no big deal. Smoking does not just cause diseases for heavy smokers or longtime smokers. The 2010 Surgeon General’s Report shows how breathing tobacco smoke can cause immediate harm. Tobacco smoke can trigger sudden heart attacks and death, even in nonsmokers. Each cigarette you smoke hurts your lungs, your blood vessels, and cells throughout your body. Smoking a few cigarettes a week can cause a heart attack. Cutting back is not enough to protect you; you have to quit entirely. It is too late to quit—the damage is already done. It is true that the longer you use tobacco, the more you hurt your body, but at any age, the sooner you quit, the sooner your health can improve. Within 20 minutes after quitting, your body starts to heal. After 2 to 5 years, your risk for stroke is similar to that of a nonsmoker. In 10 years, your lung cancer risk is cut in half."

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