Within 24 hours…

• Carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal
• Heart rate slows and skin temperature increases
• Chance of heart attack decreases

Within two to five days…

• Detectable levels of nicotine disappear
• Respiratory symptoms (colds, coughing, etc.) gradually disappear

2 to 9 Months after quitting…

• Headaches and stomachaches caused by smoking disappear
• Your body is better able to fight infection
• Energy increases
• Cilia in your lungs begin to come to life and attempt to clear the accumulated mucus out of your air passages

After your first year smoke-free…

• Heart returns to nearly normal conditions
• Experience a 90% drop in risk of heart disease

10 years after quitting…

• Risk of dying from lung cancer similar to that of nonsmokers

15 years after quitting…

• Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker

QUITTING STRATEGIES

Steps to Stopping

• Understand why you smoke
• Begin to cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke
• Get rid of ashtrays, lighters and matches
• Clean the interior of your car
• Stock up on low-calorie snacks and gum
• Make lists of why you want to quit and hang them where you can see them
• Set a date that means something to you
• Have someone to call whenever you are tempted to smoke
• Reward yourself for not smoking

Tips While Stopping

• Stretch out meals ... eat slowly and pause between bites
• Take a deep breath and exhale slowly...The desire to smoke will pass
• Exercise before, during and after quitting smoking. This will help relax you and prevent weight gain, which can be a fear for smokers who want to quit.
• Anticipate situations that might be difficult for you and visualize them as a non smoker
• Keep on trying. If the first try does not work, do not give up...try again!

RESOURCES - Who Can Help You Quit and How

Who:
Harford County Health Department
119 S. Hays Street, Bel Air, MD 21014
410.638.8405

How:
Harford County Smoking Cessation Program
A 6 week program
Free Nicotine patches, lozenges and gum for eligible participants

Who:
Upper Chesapeake Medical Campus
500 Upper Chesapeake Drive, Bel Air, MD 21014
410.515.0044

Who:
Maryland's Free Quit Line 
1-800-QUIT-NOW

Links :

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org

American Lung Association of Maryland
www.lungusa.org/maryland

American Heart Association
www.americanheart.org

Quitnet
www.quitnet.org

Smoke Free Maryland
www.smokefreemd.org

Smokescreen
www.smokescreen.org

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

http://pda.ahrq.gov or www.ahrq.gov/path/tobacco.htm