  Smoking Cessation Tips
Why should I stop smoking?
Within Hours ...
Within Days ...
Within Weeks ...
Within Months ...
In the long run ...
The sooner you stop the greater the benefits can be
Why should I stop smoking?
It is never too late to stop smoking. Before you even try to stop, it’s important to think about what you stand to gain.
We all know about the long-term health benefits of giving up smoking, but many people are surprised by how soon some of the benefits kick in. Here are some of the most common benefits you might experience – in the short and long term.
Within Hours ...
| • | Get your breath back! Smokers often become short of breath more quickly than non-smokers. This is because smoking hampers the body’s capacity to carry oxygen. The good news? This effect disappears within hours of stopping smoking. |
Within Days ...
| • | Boost your lungs’ natural protection against chest infections and the effects of pollution. Smoking kills microscopic hairs in the lungs that push out pollutants and other bacteria. These hairs grow back quickly and start working properly within days of quitting smoking.
| | • | Don’t be surprised if you experience a cough in the days after quitting. This is a sign that the hairs are growing back and pushing out the toxins that have settled in the lungs – perhaps for months or even years!
| | • | Boost your body’s defence against coughs, colds and other viruses. Smoking reduces the body’s ability to fight off infection. This damaging effect can stop within days of stopping smoking.
| | • | Rediscover the joy of food! Smoking interferes with the senses of taste and smell, making food less enjoyable. These senses begin to return a few days after stopping smoking. |
Within Weeks ...
| • | Freshen up! The smell of cigarettes is a turnoff. It clings to your hair, your clothes and your furniture. What’s more, no one wants to inhale second-hand smoke.
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Within Months ...
| • | See how much money you’ve saved! Smoking is expensive. If you normally smoke 15 cigarettes a day – you will have saved about $134 every month – that’s $1,600 a year.
| | • | Look younger! Smoking can increase the appearance of facial wrinkles, often making smokers look older than non-smokers of the same age. Not only can you live longer as a result of stopping smoking, you can look younger as you do. The colour of your skin will also improve. |
In the long run ...
Add years to your life expectancy! Smoking about 10 cigarettes a day reduces life expectancy by between 1 and 3 years; smoking 20 a day reduces it by between 5 and 7 years; smoking 40 a day reduces it by an average of between 8 and10 years.
The sooner you stop the greater the benefits can be
You can reverse the health risks of smoking pretty quickly. Five years of being smoke-free substantially reduces the risk of smoking related diseases, such as heart disease and cancers of the lung, throat, stomach, breast and bladder. By ten years, it is almost as if you had never smoked. Quitting even in middle or older age can help you avoid the later excess risk of death from tobacco.
Thinking about quitting? Be sure to talk to your doctor and visit www.heartandstroke.ca for more smoking cessation advice. | | Choose a date to stop smoking, and mark it on your calendar. 
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