Quitting smoking: the benefits Quitting smoking improves the quality and length of your life. Immediately after your last cigarette, your body will feel the benefits.
Stop smoking
1
24
year
hours
Choose better fertility
Choose healthy lungs
Most of the negative
Your lungs will
impacts of smoking
work better.1
on male and female fertility will be reversed.5
9
2-12
months
weeks
1-2 months Choose to feel young Your skin will
Choose more energy
you could look 13
Choose to cough less
years younger.
Cough, phlegm and
easier… this will also
wheeze decrease.
give you more energy.2
be rejuvenated – 4
Your blood circulation will improve, making physical activity 3
Choose a longer life How many years can be gained back? Additional years added to your life expectancy if you quit smoking at these ages.6
10 yrs
9
yrs
gained back
gained back
6 yrs gained back
3
yrs gained back
30
years of age
40
50
years of age
years of age
Quitting smoking before 40 years of age also lowers your risk of dying of a smoking- related condition by
90%7
Sources 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 3. European Respiratory Journal 2004. 4. Skinmed 2010. 5. Fertility and Sterility 2004, (http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(04)00883-0/fulltext). 6. BMJ 2004 7. New England Journal of Medicine: (http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1211128?viewType=Print&v iewClass=Print&)
60
years of age
Find out more at: www.healthylungsforlife.org
This document was produced with the aim of helping healthcare professionals explain the benefits of quitting smoking to their patients. It was produced by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Tobacco Control Committee and the European Lung Foundation (ELF) as part of the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign.