Rewards of Quitting

Français

The Positive Effects of Quitting

Being smoke-free has enormous benefits on the health of a smoker and the people around him or her:

Within 10 years of quitting, the overall risk of an ex-smoker dying from lung cancer is cut in half.
Those who quit before age 50 have only half the risk of dying in the next 15 years compared with those who continue to smoke. And, it’s important to remember that becoming smoke-free can extend your life, even if you are over 60 years of age.

The chart below shows the positive effects quitting has on the body:

Time after quitting	Health benefits
48 hours	Your chances of having a heart attack start to go down and your sense of smell and taste begin to improve.
72 hours	Bronchial tubes relax making breathing easier and lung capacity increases.
2 weeks to 3 months	Blood circulation improves and lung functioning increases up to 30 per cent.
6 months	Coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of breath improve.
1 year	Risk of smoke-related heart disease falls to half that of a smoker.
10 years	Risk of dying from lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker.
15 years	Risk of dying from a heart attack is now the same as someone who has never smoked.