Quitting Smoking

Health benefits of quitting

Tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemicals; hundreds are harmful, and about 70 can cause cancer. Smoking increases the risk for health problems, many diseases, and death.

People who stop smoking early greatly reduce their risk for disease and early death. Although the health benefits are greater for people who stop at earlier ages, there are benefits at any age.

Is it too late to quit smoking or vaping?

It’s never too late to quit. In the year after you quit smoking, your excess risk of coronary heart disease drops by 50%.

After 10 years, your risk is as low as that of someone who has never smoked. While you may crave tobacco or nicotine after quitting, most people feel that becoming tobacco-free is the most positive thing they’ve ever done for themselves.

Stopping smoking is associated with the following health benefits:

  • Lowered risk for lung cancer and many other types of cancer.
  • Reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease (narrowing of the blood vessels outside of your heart).
  • Reduced heart disease risk within 1 to 2 years of quitting.
  • Reduced respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. While these symptoms may not disappear, they do not continue to progress at the same rate among people who quit compared with those who continued to smoke.
  • Reduced risk of developing some lung diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, one of the leading causes of death in the United States).
  • Reduced risk for infertility in women of childbearing age. Women who stop smoking during pregnancy also reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby.

Ways to Quit Smoking

How do I quit? You are more likely to quit for good if you prepare for two things: your last cigarette, and the cravings, urges and feelings that come with quitting. Think about five steps:

  1. Set a quit date:

    2. Choose a date within the next seven days when you will quit smoking or vaping. Tell your family members and friends who are most likely to support your efforts.

  2. Choose a method for quitting:
    • Stop all at once on your quit day.
    • Cut down the number of cigarettes per day or how many times you vape until you stop completely.
    • Smoke only part of each cigarette (if you use this method, you need to count how many puffs you take from each cigarette and reduce the number every two-to-three days).
  3. Decide if you need medicines or other help to quit

    4. Talk with your health care provider to determine which medicine is best for you and get instructions for using it. These may include nicotine replacements (gum, lozenges, spray, patch or inhaler) or prescription medicines, such as bupropion hydrochloride or varenicline. You could also ask about a referral for a smoking cessation program.

  4. Plan for your quit day

    5. Get rid of all the cigarettes, matches, lighters, ashtrays and tobacco products in your home, office and car. Find healthy substitutes for smoking such as going for walks, keeping sugarless gum or mints with you or munch on carrot or celery sticks.

  5. Stop smoking on your quit day

    6. It’s hard to stay off tobacco and nicotine once you’ve given in, so do everything you can to avoid that “one.” The urge will pass.

    The first two-to-five minutes will be the toughest. If you do smoke or vape after quitting:

    • This doesn’t mean you’re a smoker again – do something now to get back on track.
    • Don’t punish or blame yourself – tell yourself you’re still a non-smoker.
    • Think about what triggered the urge.

Helpful Resources

  • Call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit heart.org to learn more about heart disease and stroke.
  • Sign up to get Heart Insight, a free magazine for heart patients and their families.
  • Connect with other sharing similar journeys with heart disease and stroke by joining our Support Network.

Do you have questions for the doctor or nurse?

Take a few minutes to write down your questions for your next health care provider appointment.
For example: When will the urges stop? How can I keep from gaining weight?