Taking on the journey to quit smoking is not just a decision for today – it’s an investment in your future health. In fact, one study found that former smokers avoided an estimated 64%, 53%, and 57% of excess cardiovascular, cancer, and respiratory mortality associated with current smoking within the first decade after quitting, respectively, with further benefits accruing over time.
The authors concluded that with sustained cessation, cause-specific mortality rates among former smokers may eventually match those of never-smokers, proving that it’s never too late to consider kicking the habit to the curb.
Today, we’ll further examine the various ways that smoking affects your body, and perhaps more importantly, we’ll shed light on the incredible recovery that begins when you make the empowering choice to quit.
How smoking harms the body
Smoking wreaks havoc on the body by introducing a cocktail of harmful chemicals, like carbon monoxide, ammonia, and formaldehyde, into the system. This article highlights that inhaling tobacco smoke exposes the lungs to carcinogens, leading to conditions like lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The cardiovascular system takes a hit as well, with smoking contributing to heart disease and stroke. Beyond the respiratory and circulatory impact, smoking damages nearly every organ, increasing the risk of various cancers, weakening the immune system, and accelerating the aging process. In a previous article, we mentioned how smoking also affects your skin’s appearance, manifesting in a pale complexion, sagging skin, and wrinkles. While these may sound alarming, it’s important to keep in mind that quitting reduces the risk of death and disease dramatically.
What happens after quitting smoking
There’s ample evidence showing that once you quit, your body is slowly able to recover and heal itself. Within six hours of your last cigarette, your heart rate will slow down, and your blood pressure will become more stable. After a few months, you will be coughing and wheezing less, and your immune function and circulation to your hands and feet will improve. Years later, your risk of lung cancer will be half that of someone of a similar age who keeps smoking. The longer a person stays smoke-free, the more the risks drop.
Cessation tools that can help you
In recent years, nicotine pouches have emerged as a potential aid to help individuals quit smoking for good. Nicotine pouches fall under the category of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which is a well-established approach to smoking cessation. This approach primarily works as a way to mimic the sensory experience of smoking, relieve cravings, and ease withdrawal symptoms.
Nicotine pouches available here also come in various types, strengths, and flavors, including popular brands such as ZYN, VELO, and On! With more options, you can better customize your cessation efforts according to where you are on your quit journey. Ideally, the goal of your nicotine pouch use should be to gradually lower the amount of nicotine you need until you can wean off of it completely.
A newer, plant-based cessation aid has also been found to help smokers quit. During a large-scale clinical trial, researchers observed that smokers treated with a naturally occurring plant-based alkaloid, called cytisinicline, were five times more likely to remain smoke-free for 3 months after treatment compared with those who received a placebo. Cytisinicline facilitates cessation by binding to the same brain receptors as nicotine, acting as a partial agonist, and reducing withdrawal symptoms and nicotine cravings. Previously, cytisinicline was only sold in some European countries. However, after showing promising results in the clinical trial, it may soon be available in the US.
By understanding the far-reaching consequences that smoking inflicts on the body, we illuminate the path to healing through cessation. The body’s remarkable capacity to recover underscores the transformative power of quitting.
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