Breathe Easy - Benefits of Smoking Cessation

Being free from the addiction to nicotine is one benefit of smoking cessation but there are many more. Smoking cessation is associated with lower risk for lung and other cancers, coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory symptoms, and of developing COPD (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Smoking cessation by women during their reproductive years can also reduce the risk of infertility. While quitting smoking can help lower the risk of premature death this factor greatly depends on the number of years a person smokes, the number of cigarettes they smoke per day, the age at which they began smoking, and whether or not the person was already ill at the time of quitting (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1990). So when thinking about smoking cessation the sooner it is the done the more health benefits there are. While quitting smoking at a young age is best there are benefits to quitting smoking at any age. Quitting at 30 reduces the chance of dying prematurely from smoking related disease by more than 90 percent (Peto, Darby, Deo, et al., 2000). Quitting at age 50 reduces the risk of dying prematurely by 50 percent compared to those who continue to smoke. Even people who quit around age 60 or old will live longer than those who continue to smoke (Doll, Peto, Boreham, Sutherland, 2004).
Some benefits associated with smoking cessation occur immediately while others do not happen years later. Immediately after quitting smoking a person’s heart rate and blood pressure, which are abnormally high while smoking, return to normal. Within a day of quitting carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body and lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris. After two days of being smoke free there is no nicotine left in the body and the ability of taste and smell improve. After three days breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase. Within 12 weeks circulation improves and after 9 months coughing, wheezing, and breathing problems improves because lung function increases by up to 10%. After 5 years of being smoke free risk of heart attack falls to about compared to a person who is still smoking and after 10 years lung cancer risk falls to half that of a smoker and risk of heart attack is equal to that of someone who has never smoked (National Health Services, 2012). Besides benefiting the health of smoker quitting can also save money by eliminating the expense of cigarettes and decreasing future health care cost. Quitting smoking can also lead to social acceptance since smoking is currently less socially acceptable than ever (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2001). A last benefit of quitting smoking is that it will set a good example for younger people, such as children or nieces and nephews, in a person’s life. So when thinking about quitting smoking it can be easy to think about how difficult it is, instead remember all the benefits associated with quitting.

Works Cited

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010). How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease: A Report of the Surgeon General. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1990). The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health.

Peto R, Darby S, Deo H, et al (2000). Smoking, smoking cessation, and lung cancer in the U.K. since 1950: Combination of national statistics with two case-control studies. British Medical Journal; 321(7257):323–329.

Doll R, Peto R, Boreham J, Sutherland I (2004). Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years’ observations on male British doctors. British Medical Journal; 328(7455):1519–1527.

National Health Services (2012). The Benefits of Quitting. Retrieved from http://smokefree.nhs.uk/why-quit/timeline/.

National Institute of Drug Abuse (2001, August). Research Report on Nicotine: Addiction.