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Putting Cigarettes Behind You

We help people work through the process of becoming smoke-free.

The majority of individuals who smoke would like to quit, but feel unable to do so. Perhaps you have tried to quit in the past. Many people are able to abstain for a time, only to resume smoking in times of stress, or thinking that smoking one cigarette will not lead to becoming a smoker again.

The average former smoker has made seven serious attempts at quitting before they were finally able to quit permanently. The Quit Smoking Cigarettes Organization provides education, and support for smokers who want to quit, as well as for anyone who cares about someone who smokes.

The Change You Need

Quitting smoking is a major lifestyle change. There are many benefits to being smoke-free. It takes planning and dedication to achieve that. While it is ultimately up to the smoker to not pick up a cigarette, this process can be made easier with support.

Smokers are usually experts on the health ramifications of smoking. Knowing that smoking significantly increases an individual’s risk of lung cancer, heart disease and emphysema is usually not enough to make a person quit. The physical addiction to nicotine must be addressed. In order to successfully quit, a person must additionally evaluate their habits and create new, pleasurable ones.

Positive Results of Quitting

Once you quit smoking, your body begins to recuperate immediately. You don’t have to wait years to reap the benefits of not smoking. The American Cancer Society has outlined the repairs that your body begins to make within minutes of putting out your last cigarette.

20 Minutes:

Pulse rate drops to normal
Blood pressure drops to normal
Heart rate drops to normal
Circulation improves
Body temperature in hands and feet increase to normal

8 Hours:

Carbon monoxide blood level drops to normal
Oxygen level in blood increases to normal
Cigarette odor on breath disappears
Individual begins to feel generally better

24 Hours

Chance of heart attack begins to decrease

48 Hours

Nerve endings in nose and mouth begin to regrow
Ability to smell and taste are increased
Mucous begins to clear from the lungs

2 Weeks – 3 Months:

Circulation improves
Walking becomes easier
Lung function increases up to 30%

1 Month – 9 Months

Decrease in: coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue & shortness of breath
Lung cilia have re-grown, increasing the lungs’ ability to clean themselves
Overall increase in energy level

1 Year:

Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker

5 Years:

Lung cancer death rate decreases by half

10 Years:

Lung cancer death rate is now equivalent to that of a non-smoker
Pre-cancerous cells are replaced by healthy cells
Risk of other cancers (mouth, throat, bladder, etc.) decreases

15 Years:

You are now no more at risk of heart disease than if you had never smoked.