Benefits of stopping smoking

There are so many ways that stopping smoking will improve your life:

you have less chance of developing certain illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke, diabetes complications, and certain cancers. If you already have one of these, stopping smoking can slow its progress and your treatment will work better
save money. The average 10-a-day smoker spends around £40 a week on tobacco. That’s over £2,000 a year! Find out how much you could save when you quit by using the GM Making Smoking History savings calculator
food will taste better as your sense of taste and smell start to return
simple daily tasks that involve moving and walking will become much easier as your breathing and general fitness improve
your fertility levels will improve, increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby
the appearance of your skin and teeth will improve and you will not have to worry about smoker’s breath anymore

Stopping smoking will also bring positive changes to those around you

Second-hand smoke is the smoke you blow out and the smoke from the lit end of your cigarette.

Third-hand smoke is the toxic residue of tobacco smoke that clings to surfaces, carpets, bedding, skin, hair and other objects long after a cigarette is put out. These chemicals can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested. Children and babies are particularly at risk.

By stopping smoking you will:

protect the health of your friends, family and pets by not exposing them to second-hand and third hand smoke
reduce the chances of your children getting bronchitis, asthma attacks and ear infections
encourage others to quit and hopefully stop your children from ever starting

You can find more information about the dangers of second-hand smoke on the NHS Smokefree website.

After you quit

See how quickly things start to improve once you stop smoking:

after 20 minutes your blood pressure returns to normal and circulation improves
after 8 hours your oxygen levels return to normal whilst nicotine and carbon monoxide levels reduce by half
after 24 hours your lungs begin to clear out mucus and carbon monoxide is eliminated from your body
after 48 hours your sense of taste and smell improve and all the nicotine has left your body
after 72 hours you have more energy and your breathing is easier
after 2 to 12 weeks it's easier for you to walk and exercise and your circulation has improved
after 3 to 9 months your lung capacity has improved by 5-10% and coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing has improved
after 5 years you have the same chance of having a stroke as a non-smoker
after 10 years your chance of getting lung cancer is half of that of a smoker and your chance of having a heart attack is the same as a non-smoker