Timetable of what happens internally when you quit smoking?
November 3, 2010 6:16 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking for a reliably sourced timetable of what happens to your mind and body when you quit smoking, from hour one onward.

I'm trying to find something similar to this:
http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_benefits_time_table.html
http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/afterquitting/a/after_quitting.htm
...but vetted through reliable sources, and as detailed as possible. Google is coming up short on me. Thanks!
posted by Josh Coe to Health & Fitness (7 answers total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
This has been going around for awhile on the internet. I am pretty sure it originated from the American Cancer Society (or at least that's where I first saw it a few years ago). Here it is from the CDC.
posted by smalls at 6:23 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


I guess if you want more detail, the way to go about that would be to look up the sources listed in my first link.
posted by smalls at 6:25 AM on November 3, 2010


I've always liked this one.
posted by missjenny at 7:08 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


These timelines are only statistical in nature, however. Those things may not actually be happening to you.

Your cough can't get better if you never had one. Non smokers still have heart attacks. Etc.

My point is to take these with a grain of salt and not be disappointed if you are still craving nicotine after 48 hours, for example. Quit because you want to quit, not because some graph says you should.
posted by gjc at 8:15 AM on November 3, 2010


Response by poster: Whew, these timelines are based on studies from up to 20 years ago. It is odd that these organizations haven't released anything based on more current data. I imagine that these stats must be shifting based on increasing nicotine levels in cigarettes and other factors.
posted by Josh Coe at 8:42 AM on November 3, 2010


It is odd that these organizations haven't released anything based on more current data

Human physiology hasn't changed substantially in the last 20 years to such a degree that would necessitate new models for addiction response.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:28 AM on November 3, 2010


Human physiology hasn't changed substantially in the last 20 years to such a degree that would necessitate new models for addiction response.

True, but methods of gathering and analyzing research and of processing data have most certainly changed, and something like that can very well create new results.

(Sorry for the derail.)
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:41 AM on November 3, 2010


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