A breath of fresh air: The immediate benefits of quitting smoking or vaping nicotine

Quitting smoking has countless short and long-term health benefits, some of which start to impact the body almost immediately after putting down a cigarette. Just 20 minutes after quitting, heart and blood pressure begin to drop. After two weeks, circulation and lung functionality improve. After one year, the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is reduced. After 10 years, the risk of dying from lung cancer is 50% less compared to a current smoker.

Quitting smoking has also been associated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as improved positive mood and quality of life compared with continuing to smoke.

While decades of research have provided a clear picture of how quitting smoking improves physical and mental health, research on quitting e-cigarettes is still emerging. Early studies suggest that some chemicals present in e-cigarette aerosols may increase the risk of certain illnesses such as heart disease or cancer, but additional studies on long-term health effects are needed.

Here’s what we know about the short- and long-term health effects of quitting smoking or vaping nicotine, and what resources are available to help.

Bodily function starts to improve just 20 minutes after quitting smoking

Quitting smoking has life-changing benefits, regardless of age, gender, or race. In the long-term, it reduces the risk of developing, and dying from, diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and more. Research has also found that smoking can interfere with the body’s natural healing process, and quitting may reduce problems associated with your body’s ability to heal wounds.

For those living with chronic conditions, quitting smoking is the first step to better health outcomes, including successful recovery after a surgery. A review and meta-analysis linked quitting at or around the time of a lung cancer diagnosis with survival, and another study found patients who quit just before surgery experienced better and faster healing. Even brief periods of abstinence from smoking can improve surgical outcomes.



Quitting smoking has short-term benefits as well. Heart rate and blood pressure start to decrease just 20 minutes after someone stops smoking, and the body’s carbon monoxide levels return to healthy levels after several days. Blood circulation also starts to improve after a few weeks, and as the lungs start to heal, coughing or shortness of breath may be reduced.