After 20 minutes: Your blood pressure drops to normal. The temperature of your hands and feet also returns to normal.

After 8 hours: The carbon monoxide level of your blood drops to normal. Your lungs begin to clear.

After 24 hours: Your chance of having a heart attack decreases.

After 2 days: Your sense of taste and smell improves. Your hair, breath and fingers are cleaner.

After 1 to 9 months: You cough less, your sinus congestion improves and your lungs are cleaner. Your circulation improves and you can breathe more easily.

After 1 year: Your excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.

After 5 years: Your risk of stroke and lung cancer is reduced.

After 10 years: Your risk of death from lung cancer is half that of a continuing smoker. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, pancreas and kidney decreases.

Source: American Cancer Society

Some people gain weight when they quit smoking because they substitute food for cigarettes.

Here are some easy ways to satisfy your cigarette cravings without packing on the calories:

• Drink more water – suck on a straw or a sports bottle to make the experience more satisfying

• Keep lots of healthy snacks handy – crunchy apples and carrots are good substitutes for cigarettes

• Go for a walk – exercise distracts you from the cravings and burns calories, too

• Brush your teeth – the fresh, clean taste will make your mouth feel wonderful without adding calories

Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death in both Canada and the U.S.

The health risks of smoking are well known:

• Four out of five lung cancer deaths are due to smoking

• 1/3 of all cancer deaths are cancer-related – smoking can cause cancer of the larynx, lip, mouth, pharynx, esophagus, bladder and pancreas and has been linked to breast and stomach cancer

• Smoking is a major cause of heart disease and stroke and is a risk factor for other serious diseases, such as bronchitis, emphysema, ulcers, osteoporosis, cataracts and gum disease

• Women who smoke are more likely to experience menstrual problems and early onset of menopause – there is also a possible link between smoking and cervical cancer

• Women who smoke during pregnancy are at higher risk of pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage, stillbirth or delivering a low birth weight baby

• Babies born to mothers who smoke have five times the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) than babies of  non-smoking mothers

• Second-hand smoke causes disease and death in healthy non-smokers – children exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to suffer from asthma, breathing problems, lung damage and SIDS