Welcome to Smoking Cessation
"Smoking cessation represents the single most important step that
smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives."
-Antonia C. Novello, MD, MPH U.S. Surgeon General 1990-1993
Smoking is one of the most difficult habits to break. Nicotine, the primary addictive drug found in tobacco, can hold onto some individuals as powerfully as some illegal drugs including heroinor cocaine. Nicotine has numerous effects on the body, including the sensation of pleasantness, resulting in a desire for more and more cigarettes as tolerance increases. In short, tobacco dependence is not only a habit but an addictive disease. Cleveland HeartLab's Smoking Cessation site is here to help you quit by providing information and support so that you can break free of tobacco dependence and begin to live a healthier life, one day at a time.
What are the health benefits of smoking cessation?
Smoking is a major cause of heart disease, aneurysms, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke. Thus, the most important reason to quit smoking is to live a healthier lifestyle, free of disease. Once you decide to quite, you'll begin to feel better almost immediately, and the benefits will continue the rest of your life.
The American Cancer Society has outlined the immediate and long-term benefits of smoking cessation:
| After 20 minutes |
Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.1
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After 12 hours
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The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.2
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Between 2 weeks to 3 months
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Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.3
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Between 1 to 9 months
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Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.4
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After 1 year
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The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.5
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After 5 years
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Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.6
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After 10 years
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The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a person who continues smoking. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease, too.7
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After 15 years
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The risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker's.8
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Read more about smoking cessation
References:
1. Mahmud A, Feely J. Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification. Hypertension. 2003;41:183.
2. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1988, p. 202
3. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 193, 194, 196, 285, 323
4. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304
5. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi
6. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi
7. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152, 155, 164, 166
8. U.S. Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi
9. Fiore MC, Jaen CR, Baker TB, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public health Service. May 2008.