Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability and death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, any use of tobacco is harmful.

Smoking cigarettes damages nearly every organ of the body. It can lead to cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung disease, diabetes and pregnancy complications. Using smokeless tobacco also can lead to serious health problems, such as cancer, oral disease, pregnancy risks and nicotine addiction.

Yet nearly 31 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, and just over 3 million middle and high school students use tobacco products. Among people who don’t smoke, 1 in 4 are exposed to secondhand smoke.

Friday, May 31, is World No Tobacco Day, an opportunity to change your life by giving up tobacco.

Quitting Tobacco

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health. The earlier in life you quit, the greater the health benefits. But quitting smoking is beneficial to health at any age – it can reduce the risks of harmful health effects from smoking.

According to the CDC, you’ll feel positive effects right away when you stop smoking. When you smoke, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood is higher, and your heart must work harder to supply your organs with the oxygen they need. Within a few days of quitting smoking, the level of carbon monoxide in your blood drops to the same level as a person who does not smoke.

Within the first year after quitting smoking, you’ll notice that you don’t get out of breath as often as when you smoked, and you’ll cough less. In one to two years after you’ve given up smoking, your risk of a heart attack drops sharply.

Other Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking

Additional health benefits of stopping smoking include:

• Reduced risk of premature death, adding as much as 10 years to your life expectancy.
• Rapid improvement in your levels of HDL-C – also known as “good” cholesterol.
• Reduced risk of stroke.
• Reduced risk of heart issues such as atrial fibrillation, sudden cardiac death, heart failure and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
• Reduced risk of COPD or, if you already have it, slowed progression of the disease.
• Fewer respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Reduced risk for 12 different cancers. For cancer survivors, quitting smoking may reduce your risk from premature death.

While giving up tobacco is a challenge, millions of people have done it successfully. The results are worth it. Aultman’s free Give It Up! tobacco cessation program covers everything from how to create a quitting plan to tips on staying tobacco-free – with optional counseling sessions and call support after you complete the program. Visit aultman.org/TobaccoCessation for more information.

Aultman will be with you every step of the way on your journey to improved health.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention