The Best Time to Quit Smoking? Now!
By now, we all know that smoking is bad for our health. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals that cause damage not just to our lungs, but almost every organ in the body. In the United States, smoking contributes to 480,000 smoking-related deaths every year. Smoking has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, lung disease, macular degeneration, erectile dysfunction, and type 2 diabetes. And that doesn’t include the harmful effects of second-hand smoke on your environment and the people around you.
Thankfully, younger people are not picking up tobacco at the rates that their grandparents did at the same age. That’s a win for public health. But we still have almost 30 million smokers in the U.S.
If you or a loved have been smoking for decades, it might seem like it’s not worth the hassle to quit or perhaps believe that the “damage is already done.”
But new research from the University of Michigan School of Public Health reveals that we are never too old to reap the benefits of quitting tobacco. Their research showed that even at age 75, people can improve their health by quitting cigarettes. The study showed that adults age 65 and older who quit smoking added to their life expectancy.
And importantly, quitting smoking improves the quality of those added years. Research from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University found that smokers report higher levels of chronic pain, use more opioid pain killers, report worse levels of mental health, and are more likely to have severe work limitations because of pain.
You may think that it will take a long time to reap the rewards of a smoke-free lifestyle, but that’s not the case! According to the American Cancer Society, the benefits of quitting smoking begin just 20 minutes after your last cigarette. Here is the breakdown:
20 minutes after quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure begin to drop.
A few days after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in your blood will return to normal.
Three weeks after quitting, your risk of heart attack starts to decrease, and your lung function begins to improve. You’ll notice less coughing and shortness of breath.
One year after quitting, your risk of heart attack is reduced by half, and you’ll experience a boost in energy.
Five years after quitting, your risk of stroke significantly decreases and continues to drop. Your chances of developing dementia are lower, and if you’re already experiencing memory issues, your symptoms may improve.
Ten years after quitting, your risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half.
So, even if you’ve tried to quit smoking in the past without success, it’s always worth trying again! Join thousands of other people who will be taking an important step for their health by participating in the Great American Smokeout on Thurs., Nov. 21. Talk to your doctor about available smoking cessation resources. Explore helpful information on the Great American Smokeout website, or check out the Lung Association’s quit-smoking tools for Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November. For additional support, visit SmokeFree.gov.
It’s also important to note that smokeless tobacco or electronic vapes are not a healthy substitution for cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that these products can contain substances that harm the body. And in fact, using vapes as a substitute for cigarettes can increase your risk of lung cancer. So follow the links above to find tested strategies for effective tobacco cessation.
The information in this article is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare provider. Talk to your doctor about a smoking cessation strategy that’s right for you.
