If you are thinking about giving up smoking, the staff at our Clear Pharmacy stores will be only too happy to assist you. We are able to offer advice on how to stop smoking and the various aids to smoking cessation that are currently on the market. Indeed in some circumstances it may be possible that we can supply items such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy free of charge. Simply call into your local Clear Pharmacy and ask us about how we can help you stop.

Stopping smoking will have a major impact on your long term health, but there are almost immediate benefits to stopping smoking. The timeline below highlights the health benefits of stopping smoking, courtesy of the Public Health Agency.

 

• 20 Minutes – Your blood pressure and pulse should start to return to normal
• 8hrs – The carbon monoxide in your body should reduce by half and oxygen levels should return to normal. Circulation will also begin to improve.
• 24hrs – Your lungs start to clear out mucus and other substances caused by smoking.
• 48hrs – There is no nicotine left in your body, nerve endings start regrowing and your ability to taste and smell improves.
• 72hrs – Breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase.
• 2 weeks – Circulation and lung function improves and walking is easier.
• 3 months – Your lungs are free from most of the mucus and tar that had gathered up over the years. Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems should start to improve.
• 1 year – Your risk of having a heart attack has reduced to half that of a smoker.
• 5 years – Your risk of stroke can be reduced to that of a person who has never smoked.
• 10 years – Your risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker. Your chances of developing throat, stomach, bladder, kidney or pancreas cancer also decrease.
• 15 years – Your risk of having a heart attack falls to that of someone who has never smoked.
• 20 years – Your risk of sight loss falls to that of someone who has never smoked.