Is it safe to stop smoking after 20 years?

Wanna read something that'll blow your mind? When you stop smoking, your risk of developing CVS (Cardiovascular system) complications like myocardial infarction or stroke starts decreasing the day you stop smoking. read more

Within 20 years of quitting, the risk of dying among former smokers was similar to that of lifetime nonsmokers for most causes of death, with the exception of lung cancer. The findings suggest that it is never too late to derive health benefits from giving up smoking, says researcher Stacey A. Kenfield, ScD, of the Harvard School of Public Health. read more

The risk of dying from heart disease dropped rapidly within five years of stopping smoking and equalized to that of a never-smoker within 20 years of quitting. With the exception of lung cancer, the risk of dying from respiratory disease fell to that of a lifetime nonsmoker within 20 years. read more

"It can put up with this insult day after day, year after year, and it forgives you - until about the age of 35. After that, the clock is ticking, quite quickly. It's much more urgent than people realise." All warn, however, that none of this counts as a reason not to stop smoking, and to do it as soon as possible. read more