THE STARK REALITY OF WHAT SMOKING DOES TO YOUR BODY

The UK’s No Smoking Day is an annual health awareness day to help those addicted to give it up.

The campaign was started in 1984 by a charity of the same name and in 2011 merged with the British Heart Foundation. The dangers of smoking are well-publicised, but it’s worth reflecting on the damage it does.

The NHS says it causes 70% of lung cancer cases but also cancer of other parts of the body including the mouth, throat, larynx, oesophagus, bladder, bowel, cervix, kidney, liver, stomach and pancreas. Smoking also damages your heart and circulation, increasing your risk of illnesses such as coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, damaged blood vessels and damaged arteries supplying blood to your brain. It harms your lungs in other ways, leading to conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes bronchitis and emphysema, plus pneumonia. The habit can also worsen or prolong the symptoms of respiratory conditions such as asthma, or infections such as the common cold. It can also cause impotence in men.

If you quit, your body can start to heal; the NHS says 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your pulse rate returns to normal.

After eight hours, harmful carbon monoxide in your blood halves and oxygen levels recover.

After 48 hours, all carbon monoxide goes, your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell improve.

After two to 12 weeks, your circulation improves so blood pumps through to your heart and muscles better.

And after one year, your risk of heart attack halves, and after 10 the risk of lung cancer death is halved.