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Facts About Quitting Smoking

• It's never too late to quit smoking.
• After just 20 minutes, your blood pressure and heart rate drop to normal, and your body temperature of hands and feet increase to normal.
• 12 hours after quitting smoking, the level of oxygen in your blood will return to normal.
• Within 24 hours, your risk of heart attack decreases.
• During the first few weeks after quitting, cravings and withdrawal symptoms may be strongest. You can reduce the length of each craving for a cigarette by distracting yourself (keep your hands, mouth, and mind busy).
• QuitlineNC is available to support you and help you quit for good.  Calls are free, confidential, and available to all North Carolinians.
• Withdrawal symptoms are often signs that your body is healing. They are normal, temporary, and will lessen in a couple of weeks.
• Within a few months, any smoking related sinus problems or shortness of breath will decrease.
• As you stay quit in the months and years to come, your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and many other health problems caused by smoking, will all drop.  More information on what happens in the hours, months and years after quitting is available here. 
• If you decide to become pregnant and are able to stop smoking before or during pregnancy, your baby will be more likely to be born full term and at a healthy weight. 

Ready to get started? Click here to develop a plan to quit.