What are the health benefits when you quit smoking?
Many people had no control over their asbestos exposure but people have some control over their cigarette smoking. The Surgeon General’s 2004 report highlights some of the immediate to long-term health benefits of quitting, including:
Your heart rate lowers just 20 minutes after quitting.
Carbon monoxide blood levels drop to normal after 12 hours.
The risk of heart disease reduces by half after 1 year of quitting and after 15 years of not smoking the risk is nearly the same as someone who has never smoked.
Two weeks to 3 months after quitting, lung function starts to improve. The risk of lung cancer decreases by one-half after 10 years of not smoking.
The risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus decreases by one half after 5 years of not smoking.
Once you quit smoking, nearly every organ in your body will experience benefits.
Courtesy of The ATSDR
Asbestos can cause scarring in lungs years after exposure