With the world finally waking up the perils of this deadly habit – and governments forcibly taking action against smokers by limiting the places where they can smoke \u2013 it seems we may finally be on the cusp of a change of attitude towards smoking.<\/p>\n
Diseases are known to be caused by smoking<\/strong><\/p>\n The risks posed by smoking<\/a> cigarettes are already well-documented. As well as being inextricably linked to the chances of developing cancer, smoking has also been linked with:<\/p>\n However, while smoking undoubtedly increases the risks of developing these problems, most medical experts suggest the damage caused is not irreversible. Indeed, the timeline for quitting shows a surprisingly fast route back to recovery.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why quitting can prove so challenging<\/strong><\/p>\n For many, quitting smoking can prove to be one of the hardest things they ever have to face in life. Nicotine has been proven to be one of the top five most addictive substances<\/a> (up there with the likes of cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and methamphetamine), making smoking an extremely difficult habit to break. Moreover, most people form a type of emotional bond with smoking \u2013 often using it as a way to break stressful moments or when they’re bored.<\/p>\n Also, smoking’s routine nature is frequently the part that ex-smokers miss the most \u2013 for example, during times like taking a break from work, waiting on a bus, with a cup of tea or coffee, etc.<\/p>\n Then there’s the physical aspect of smoking to contend with too. Many ex-smokers report missing the exhaling of the smoke, while even putting a cigarette to your mouth can be a comforting habit to some.<\/p>\n In all cases above, these sensations can be replicated with the use of nicotine replacement therapies or vaping. While more research needs to be done on the safety of vaping, most medical experts agree that vape ‘smoke’ is significantly safer than ingesting cigarette smoke. Consider looking into starter vape kits to see if vaping might help you<\/a>. However, you do it; the most important thing is to quit \u2013 and stay quit.<\/p>\n The significant benefits of stopping smoking \u2013 and what to expect<\/strong><\/p>\n When you first quit, you’re unlikely to notice much in the way of health benefits for the first few days, but, in reality, your body is hard at work clearing itself of the toxins you’ve ingested. For this reason, many people quitting smoking find they cough and spit phlegm more as the lungs try to clean themselves. This might not seem a tremendous benefit, but it’s all part of the underlying healing processes that are going on when you stop. In terms of a timeline, the things you can expect are:<\/p>\n Within one hour<\/strong>: 20 minutes after you quit, your blood pressure begins to drop, and your heart rate returns to normal.<\/p>\n\n