Health benefits:
• After 8 hours: the level of carbon monoxide and nicotine in the blood will halve
• After 24 hours: carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body, the lungs start to clear and the chance of heart attack starts to decrease
• After 48 hours: there is no nicotine left in the body, taste and smell start to improve, nerve endings start to re-grow and walking becomes easier
• After 72 hours: breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase
• After 2-12 weeks: circulation improves, lung function increases and running becomes easier
• After 3-9 months: decrease in coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness, shortness of breath and less chance of chest infection. Lung function is increased by up to 10%
• After 1 year: the risk of heart attack falls to half of that of a smoker
• After 10 years: the risk of lung cancer halved – the longer you stop the lower the risk
• After 15 years: the risk of a heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked
