BENEFITS OF QUITTING (PREGNANCY)
Smokers who quit before or early in pregnancy reduce
their risk of miscarriage or of having a low birth-weight
baby.
Smokers who quit before or early in pregnancy reduce
the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in their
babies.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (PANCREAS)
Smokers who quit reduce their risk of developing
cancer of the pancreas.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (KIDNEY
AND BLADDER)
The risk of bladder cancer is cut in half a few years
after quitting completely.
Smokers who quit completely may lower their risk
of kidney cancer.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (STOMACH)
Smokers who quit completely may lower their risk
of getting a peptic ulcer.
Smokers who quit completely may lower their risk
of stomach cancer.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (CARDIOVASCULAR
AND HEART DISEASE)
Former smokers have half the excess risk of dying
from abdominal aortic aneurysm than current smokers.
Peripheral artery disease decreases after quitting
completely.
A year after you quit, your risk of coronary heart
disease will have decreased by half. After 15 years,
the risk will be nearly that of a non-smoker.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (LUNGS)
Two weeks to three months after smokers quit, lung
function starts to improve.
Two weeks to three months after smokers quit, coughing,
sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease.
The risk of lung cancer decreases by as much as half
ten years after quitting smoking completely.
The risk of death from chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) is reduced after quitting smoking completely.
After smokers quit, they eventually return to a normal
rate of decline of age-related lung function.
Ten years after smokers quit, the risk of lung cancer
drops to nearly one half that of a smoker.
Smokers who quit lower their risk of bronchitis and
pneumonia.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (MOUTH,
THROAT, LARYNX, ESOPHAGUS)
The risk of mouth, throat, and esophagus cancers
are cut in half five years after quitting smoking completely.
The risk of larynx cancer is reduced after quitting.
Smokers who quit will be at lower risk for upper
and lower respiratory illnesses such as colds, flu,
bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Smokers who quit may cough less, feel less tired
and less short of breath, and have less congestion.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (EYES)
Smokers who quit may lower their risk of developing
cataracts.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING (BRAIN)
The risk of stroke decreases steadily after a smoker
quits. Five to 15 years after quitting, the risk of
stroke is reduced to that of someone who has never smoked.