When you quit smoking, the health benefits start right away. Learn how the health benefits increase over time.
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After 20 minutes
Your circulation improves.
Your blood pressure and heart rate get lower. This means your risk of a heart attack starts to reduce.
After 8 hours
The nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood go down and the oxygen level rises.
After 48 hours
The nicotine and carbon monoxide leave your body. Your sense of smell and taste starts to improve.
After 72 hours
Your breathing improves and your energy levels increase.
After 2 to 3 months
Your lung capacity could increase by up to 30%.
After 1 year
Your chance of having a heart attack drops by half.
After 5 years
The risk of smoking-related cancers is greatly reduced.
After 10 years
The risk of lung cancer is reduced by half.
After 15 years
The risk of having a heart attack is the same level as a non-smoker.
If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day, a mugful of tar builds up in your lungs over a year. The toxic chemicals in this tar cause cancer. When you give up smoking, your lungs quickly begin to heal and get better at removing tar.