After you have your last cigarette your body starts to change.  As your body detoxifies and repairs the damage of smoking, it begins to return to a more healthy state, according to the US Surgeon General’s reports of 1988 and 1990.  The process takes years, but is well worth the wait.

After Just 20 Minutes of Being Smoke Free-

            Blood Pressure drops to a level closer to normal.

            Temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.

8 Hours of being Smoke Free-

            Carbon monoxide levels in the blood return to normal.

24 Hours of Being Smoke Free-

            Your chance of heart attack decreases.

2 Weeks to 3 Months of being Smoke Free-

            Circulation improves.

            Lung function increases up to 30%.

1 to 9 Months after Being Smoke Free-

            Shortness of breath, coughing, sinus congestion and fatigue decrease.

            Cilia in the lungs regain normal function, and increase ability

            to move mucus, clean the lungs, and thereby reduce infection.

 1 Year After Being Smoke Free-

            Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s

5 Years After Being Smoke Free-

            Risk of stroke is reduced to that of a non-smoker’s 5-15 years of being smoke free.

10 Years After Being Smoke Free-

            Lung cancer death rate is about half that of a long-time smoker’s.

            The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney’s and pancreas decreases.

15 Years After Being Smoke Free-

            The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smokers.