Great news for those who quit smoking:

• After 20 minutes: Your blood pressure drops to a level close to that before the last cigarette. The temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal.
  
• After 8 hours: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
  
• After 24 hours: Your chance of a heart attack decreases.
  
• Within 3 months: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases up to 30%.
  
• In 1 to 9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection.
  
• After 1 year: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
  
• After 5 years: Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
  
• After 10 years: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.
  
• After 15 years: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's.
  

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