Quit with help | Why quit | Health benefits of quitting smoking

20

minutes

Pulse returns to normal

Nicotine and carbon monoxide
almost eliminated from the body!

24

hours

48

hours

Smell and taste improves

Easier to breathe and
energy levels improve

72

hours

2

months

Immune system is beginning to recover.
Airways are clearer.

Risk of a heart attack is halved

1

year

10

years

Risk of lung cancer is approximately
half of that of a continuing smoker

Risk of a heart attack is now the same
as someone who has never smoked

15

years

73% of children
worry that their
mum or dad will die
because they smoke

Smoking
is a leading cause
of preventable
death in the UK

When smoking,
the drug nicotine
travels from the lungs
to your brain in about
ten seconds

Your family and
friends will want you to quit
smoking for good, so
get their support
along the way!

Everyone’s skin
is prone to wrinkling but
smoking accelerates it,
so quitting prevents
this acceleration

Research shows
that many smokers
have around seven
quit attempts before
they stop for good

Peer pressure
doesn’t just apply
when you start
smoking, it can hinder
your quit attempts too

Alcohol reduces
a person’s inhibitions,
increasing the risk of a
smoking relapse while
out drinking

Nicotine suppresses
the effects of caffeine,
so when you quit, you
maybe affected by caffeine
more than before

Why is it hard to quit smoking?

When you smoke, nicotine travels to the brain, where it attaches to nicotine receptors. A chemical called dopamine is released, giving you a feeling of pleasure.When you stop smoking, dopamine levels drop off, which causes you to want another cigarette.

This is why some people can find it hard to quit smoking, but you don’t have to do it alone!

Find help today

Reference:

West R. Stop smoking services: increased chances of quitting. NCSCT Briefing 8. 2012

You're 4x more likely to quit smoking with medical treatments and your doctor's support.

The health benefits of quitting smoking

20

24

48

72

2

1

10

15

Did you know?

Why is it hard to quit smoking?