On average, more than 35 people die every day in Austria due to smoking, resulting in approximately 13,000 deaths per year. On average, each smoker loses approximately five to nine years of life. “But this is not an unchangeable fate,” the Austrian lung specialists emphasized on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Quitting smoking always pays off.
According to the Austrian Association for Pulmonary Diseases, ÖGP, people who smoke more than ten cigarettes per day lose an average of seven to nine years of life. However, quitting smoking quickly increases life expectancy; after just three smoke-free years the increase is about five years.
“Get ten years of life”
“Ten years after you quit smoking, statistically you have already regained ten years of life. And anyone who ends their smoking career before the age of 40 can expect almost the same life expectancy as someone who has never smoked,” the ÖGP said in a press release.
Quitting smoking not only prolongs life, but is also associated with an immediately noticeable increase in quality of life: “If you quit smoking, you don’t have to wait years to experience the benefits of not smoking. The so-called quick wins take place immediately or within a few days and weeks and contribute to a huge improvement in the quality of life,” emphasizes Bernd Lamprecht, chairman of the ÖGP and head of the University Clinic for Internal Medicine with a focus on lung diseases. at the Kepler University Hospital in Linz.
Recovery begins after just 20 minutes
Not only are the long-term consequences of quitting smoking impressive, the positive effect also becomes noticeable much earlier. “Within just twenty minutes of the last cigarette, the body begins to recover and blood pressure and heart rate return to normal. After eight hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood decrease and oxygen levels rise to normal levels. Two days after quitting smoking, the body is already nicotine-free and the senses of taste and smell improve,” explains lung expert Lamprecht.
But quitting smoking also has a positive effect on other forms of cancer caused by smoking, such as bladder cancer, and on a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. Lamprecht: “After just one year, the risk of a heart attack is only half that of a smoker.”
Man spars money
In addition to the many health benefits, there is also a financial benefit that should not be underestimated: you save a lot of money. At five to six euros per day you save around 2,000 euros per year. There are various support options available for people who want to quit smoking. From nicotine replacement therapies to counseling services and self-help groups. The ÖGP recommends tackling smoking cessation with professional support: ideally in the form of inpatient smoking cessation or during a rehabilitation measure.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
