Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continues for years.
20 Minutes After Quitting
Your heart rate drops.
12 Hours After Quitting
Oxygen level in blood increases to normal.
2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting
Chance of a heart attack decreases and lung function improves.
1 to 9 Months After Quitting
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease
1 Year After Quitting
Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
Between 5 – 15 Years After Quitting
Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker’s.
10 Years After Quitting
Your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker’s.
15 Years After Quitting
Your risk of coronary heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker’s.
