What Happens When You Quit Smoking?

* In 20 minutes you will have a decrease in blood pressure, and it should return to normal.

* In 8 hours, the levels of toxic carbon monoxide will return to normal.

* In 48 hours, most of the nicotine will leave your body, and the risk of heart attack will greatly decrease.

* In 2 weeks, circulation will return, and continue to get better.

* In three to nine months your lung capacity will get better.

* In 1 year, the dangers of heart attack will be reduced by half.

* In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.

* In 10 years the risks of lung cancer will return to that of a non-smoker.

* In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.

Smoking harms the entire body, reducing the health of smokers in general, and can cause many serious illnesses. Heavy smokers are estimated to live to up to 10 years less than non-smokers, and about one-half of male smokers will die of illness due to smoking.

Tobacco related illnesses kill 440,000 people each year (about 1,205 per day) in the United States, making it the leading cause of preventable death. The World Health Organization has stated that tobacco will kill a billion people this century.

One of the first things on people's minds concerning the health effects from smoking is cancer, especially lung cancer. Nearly all cases of lung cancer are related to smoking, and men are the most susceptible. Over 150,000 people die each year from lung cancer in the United States alone.

Lung cancer is not the only form of cancer related to smoking. Cigarette smoking is also linked to cancer of the oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, bladder, stomach, cervix, kidneys, and acute myeloid leukemia.

Environmental pollution from cities and factories can cause emphysema, but cigarette smoking is by far the leading cause. The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage the walls of the alveoli, eventually destroying them. This leaves the larger sacs to cope, which are less efficient at processing the oxygen that allows us to breathe.

The number one killer of smokers (and non-smoking Americans, for that matter) is heart disease, killing 2,600 people in the U.S. every day. Ingredients in tobacco can cause the narrowing of blood vessels and damage the lining of the arteries, which makes cholesterol stick to the arterial walls and leads to heart attack and stroke. Smokers under the age of 40 are five times more likely to have a heart attack.

Smokers are more susceptible to common ailments as well, such as the common cold and bronchitis. The smoke from cigarettes inflames and irritates the lungs and throat and will weaken the immune system in general.

There is an 85% greater chance that male smokers will suffer from impotence than male non-smokers, and smoking is a main cause of erectile dysfunction. Smoking affects the circulatory system and causes arterial narrowing, which leads to a lack of blood flow to the extremities.

The risk of any disease related to smoking is increased by the length of time that person has been smoking and how heavy a smoker they are. However, when a person quits, the chance of disease gradually falls as the damage done to their body is healed over time.

They say cigarette smoking is one of the hardest addictions to overcome. Quitting smoking can be compared to trying to quit other highly addictive drugs such as cocaine or heroine. These drugs are highly addictive physically as well as mentally, and nicotine is no different.

If you're trying to quit smoking, the first step you should take is to get your friends and family on your side. If there is no support from the people you love, becoming smoke-free will be that much harder to tackle. Let them know how you're doing and help them understand how hard it actually is for you.

As smokers know, quitting smoking is not a matter to be taken lightly, but this can be difficult to communicate to other non-smokers as they haven't been through quitting themselves. One effective way to maintain your willpower is to join a smoking cessation support group, where other people who have been through the battle of quitting can help you out.

There are many different types of support groups. Choosing which type is best for you can be a little daunting, as there is a lot of information to sift through these days.

See if there are any support groups in your area. You can look it up in your local yellow pages or do an Internet search combining " quit smoking support groups" and "your city" as words in your search query. You might find some that are free or others that charge a membership fee. For some people, it's very important to be in physical contact with others who are going through the same ordeal.

Some physicians will offer face-to-face counseling, and the cost depends on your current health plan or medical coverage through your employer. Counseling can be very effective, as you can lay out a clear plan of action to quit.

Also, if you are considering using a nicotine replacement product, it would be a good idea to consult with your doctor, as some of these drugs can have adverse side effects.

A great and totally free option is to check out some Internet forums where the topic of quitting is being discussed. These forums will discuss everything from the adverse health effects from smoking to all the different methods people are choosing to help them quit. Most people on these forums are trying to quit themselves or have already quit, and they can offer some great advice and support.