Why should I quit?

You probably don’t need to be told that smoking is bad for you. But what are the benefits of quitting?

Quit now and reduce your risk of cancer

In Canada, it is estimated that smoking is responsible for 30% of all cancer deaths and is related to more than 85% of lung cancer cases.

The more you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more you increase your risk of developing lung cancer. But within 10 years of quitting, an ex-smoker’s overall risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half.
If you quit, your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, bladder and cervix decreases.

Quit now and breathe better

Even relatively light smoking may cause lung damage because smoking is repetitive, and the effects of inhaling add up over time. If you’re a smoker, you may have noticed that you:

feel out of breath when walking up a short flight of stairs
cough a lot
spit up mucus
have repeat chest infections

These are not signs of aging or being out of shape. They are signs that smoking is damaging your lungs.

Quit and feel better in so many other ways

The single best thing you can do to improve your health is to quit smoking. And the improvements start almost right away. As soon as you stop smoking, your body begins to cleanse itself of tobacco poisons. Here’s how:

Oxygen levels in your blood increase and carbon monoxide levels drop within 8 hours.
Your sense of smell and taste begin to improve after 2 days.
You’ll find it easier to breathe within 2 weeks to 3 months because your lungs are working better.
Coughing, sinus congestion, tiredness and shortness of breath improve within 6 months.
Your risk of a smoking-related heart attack is reduced by half after 1 year.

Getting help to quit

Smokers’ Helpline is a free, confidential service that can help you develop a quit program, offer you support and refer you to services in your community.

Our One Step at a Time quit guides can help you quit smoking.

Last modified on: 19 April 2011