Within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, your pulse returns to normal and nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood begin to drop significantly. Over the next few days and weeks, traces of nicotine are removed from your body, breathing becomes easier as lungs start to clear out smoking debris, and taste and smell improve as circulation increases. After a year, the risks of heart attack and lung cancer reduce by half compared to a continuing smoker, and after 15 years, the heart attack risk equals that of someone who never smoked.

1. Your pulse returns to
normal.
Nicotine is reduced by 90%
and carbon monoxide levels
in your blood reduce by
75%. Your circulation
improves.
Carbon monoxide and
nicotine almost eliminated
from your body. Lungs start to
clear out smoking debris.
All traces of nicotine are
removed from your body.
Taste and smells improve.
Circulation improves. You will find that breathing is
easier. Bronchial tubes begin
to relax and you'll feel more
energetic.
The excess risk of a heart
attack reduces by half.
Risk of lung cancer falls to
about half that of a
continuing smoker. Risk of a
heart attack falls to the
dame as someone who
has never smoked.
HEALTH
BENEFITS
12
3
6 5
4
7
20
mins
8
hours
24
hours
48
hours
72
hours
10-15
years
2
weeks
1
year
from quitting smoking
Put together by Laura Woolley, student at Teesside University and volunteer for Tees
Valley Public Health.