Quitting Smoking

"The only proven strategy for reducing the risk of tobacco-related disease and death is to never smoke, and if you do smoke, to quit. Quitting at any age and at any time is beneficial. It is never too late to quit, but the sooner the better. Quitting gives your body a chance to heal the damage caused by smoking. When smokers quit, the risk for a heart attack drops sharply after just 1 year; stroke risk can fall to about the same as a nonsmoker’s after 2–5 years; risks for cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder are cut in half after 5 years; and the risk for dying of lung cancer drops by half after 10 years. Scientists now know that disease risk surges even higher after a person has smoked for about 20 years, but research shows that if you quit by age 30, your health could become almost as good as a nonsmoker’s. Smokers often make several attempts before they are able to quit, but nicotine replacement and non-nicotine medications can make it easier. Smokers who quit go through withdrawal. The first days are the most uncomfortable, and the physical symptoms of nicotine addiction end about 3 weeks after quitting. An urge to smoke may still occur when you wake up, drink coffee, or are out with friends, because it takes longer to break these patterns. You can beat addiction to tobacco."