What Happens When You Quit Smoking?

A Quit Smoking Timeline

Within 30 minutes of quitting smoking, your pulse rate slows down and blood pressure drops toward normal.

Within hours of stopping, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood drops, enabling the blood to carry more oxygen.

Two days after quitting, nerve endings begin to recover and your sense of smell and taste begin to return.

Within 72 hours of quitting, your lungs’ bronchial tubes expand and lung volume increases.

Months after quitting, shortness of breath diminishes.

In the first year, the risk of heart attack attributed to smoking declines for both men and women.

Two to three years after quitting, the risk of heart attack attributed to smoking is virtually gone.

After 10 years, the risk of developing cancer is about the same as for nonsmokers.

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