Want to quit smoking but don't know where to start? The Freedom From Smoking® group program could be the answer. For more information or to register, call (813) 870-4808.
When smokers quit, within twenty minutes of smoking that last cigarette the body begins a series of changes.
At 20 minutes after quitting:
- blood pressure decreases
- pulse rate drops
- body temperature of hands and feet increases
At 8 hours:
- carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
- oxygen level in blood increases to normal
At 24 hours:
- chance of a heart attack decreases
At 48 hours:
- nerve endings start regrowing
- ability to smell and taste is enhanced
At 2 weeks to 3 months:
- circulation improves
- walking becomes easier
- lung function increases
1 to 9 months:
- coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
1 year:
- excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker
At 5 years:
- from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.
At 10 years:
- risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers
- risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
- risk of ulcer decreases
At 15 years:
- risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
- risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
