Reasons to Quit Smoking
Lots of studies show the benefits of quitting smoking. This includes health and financial benefits that can save lives and money. While it’s best to quit as early in life as possible, quitting at any age can lead to a better lifestyle and health.
Quitting can make you look, feel, and be healthier
- Using tobacco leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of your body.
- Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.
- Quitting helps stop the damage that tobacco can have on how you look, including, gum disease, tooth loss, and premature wrinkling of your skin.
- Secondhand smoke is dangerous and can harm the health of your friends and family.
Quitting can help you save money
- Cigarettes and other tobacco products are expensive. At about $8 per pack of cigarettes, smoking a pack a day costs you about $2,900 in a year.
- Quitting lowers your risk of getting colds and other respiratory problems. This means fewer doctor visits, less money spent on medicines, and fewer sick days off work.
- Cleaning and home repairs might cost less since clothes, furniture, curtains, and the car won’t smell like tobacco.
Quitting can improve your self-confidence and lead to a better lifestyle
- Not using tobacco products helps keep your family safe.
- Your may have more energy to enjoy quality family and leisure time.
- Quitting can set a good example for others who might need help quitting.
- Family and friends will likely be proud of your progress in quitting and staying quit.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
This content has been developed by the American Cancer Society in collaboration with the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center to help people who want to learn about quitting tobacco.
American Society of Clinical Oncology. Benefits of Quitting Tobacco. Cancer.net. Content is no longer available.
National Cancer Institute. Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet on October 8, 2024.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Smoking Cessation. Version 1.2024. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org/ on October 8, 2024.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Effects of Cigarettes: Cancer. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/cigarettes-and-cancer.html on October 8, 2024.
Last Revised: October 28, 2024
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
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