International Primary Care Respiratory Group
 

Beneficial effects of stopping smoking
Source: Action on Smoking and Health. Factsheet Number 11 Stopping Smoking  ASH 2007. http://www.ash.org.uk/

Time since quitting Beneficial health changes that take place
8 hours Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in blood reduce by half, oxygen levels return to normal
24 hours
Carbon monoxide eliminated from the body
48 hours Nicotine eliminated from the body. Taste buds start to recover 
1 month Appearance improves - skin loses its grayish pallor and becomes less wrinkled  Regeneration of respiratory cilia starts
Withdrawal symptoms have stopped
3 - 9 months Coughing and wheezing decline
5 years The excess risk of a heart attack reduces by half compared to that of a smoker
10 years The risk of lung cancer halved compared to continued smoking