We all know that smoking is bad for you and that 1 in 2 smokers will die of a tobacco-related disease.
When you stop smoking, you:
- reduce your risk of life-threatening diseases
- reduce the risk to your family from second hand smoke
- save money
- have better skin, teeth and hair
- have nicer smelling clothes
- as well as many other benefits
Did you know that when you quit smoking, your circulation improves after just 20 minutes! Your blood pressure and heart rate get lower. This means your risk of a heart attack starts to reduce.
And that is just the beginning! After 10 years the risk of lung cancer is reduced by half. After 15 years the risk of having a heart attack is the same level as a non-smoker.
If you smoke during pregnancy the best thing you can do for your health is to stop. Smoking when pregnant is harmful to you and to your baby. Smoking cuts down the amount of oxygen and nutrients that get to your baby through the placenta. It also puts you at increased risk of miscarriage, cot death, still birth and bleeding as well as increasing the risk of your baby being born with abnormalities or having a higher risk of developing asthma or ear infections as a child. The earlier you stop, the greater the benefits. Stopping completely is the only effective way to protect yourself and your baby. It’s never too late.
If you need help or advice to get started contact Quit smoking – HSE.ie
In Laois, the HSE runs a stop smoking service. They provide a range of services to help you stop including free nicotine replacement therapies. Further details can be found here Find stop smoking services – HSE.ie