Most people know that smoking is addictive. But, it’s not too late or impossible to quit smoking. The sooner smoker quits, the more they can reduce their risk of getting health complications. The body begins to recover within minutes of smoking the last cigarette.

Stopping smoking could be life threatening and extremely dangerous. It is quite common for patients to suffer a stroke soon after stopping the habit after 30 or 40 years. It is also not uncommon for patients to develop chronic bronchitis or worse after kicking their smoking habits based on Prinsloo J. (2012).

Based on US Surgeon General’s Report (2010), after one year of quit smoking, the excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker’s. Based on a report, “How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease - The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease Fact Sheet” (2010), after five years of quitting smoking, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus and bladder are cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2-5 years. Based on Tobacco Control: Reversal of Risk After Quitting Smoking. IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention (2007), after 15 years after quitting, the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

Quitting the tobacco habit will give some impact that can be noticed right away. These benefits can improve your day-to-day life a lot. Food will taste better, sense of smell returns to normal, breath, hair and clothes smell better, teeth and fingernails stop yellowing and ordinary activities leave the person less out of breath.

It’s much better to never start smoking and avoid becoming ddicted to nicotine than it is to smoke with the plan to quit later. Smoking begins to cause damage right away and it’s highly addictive. When an ex-smoker uses tobacco, even years after quitting, the body reacts the same way it did when the person was smoking, which is why many people go right back to their former habit.

In a nutshell, quitting smoking is possible but just need to put much effort in it.

References:

:http://m.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/tobaccocancer/questionsaboutsmokingtobaccoandhealth/questions-about-smoking-tobacco-and-health-why-do-people-start. (2015).

http://drjpprinsloo.blogspot.my/2012/07/can-quitting-really-help-lifelong-smoker.html. (2012).

Measuring degree of physical dependence to tobacco smoking with reference to individualization of treatment. (2015).

Samet, J. (2005). The Role of Perceived Risk in Starting and Stopping Smoking. California: Sage Publications Inc.