Giving up smoking can be hard but by stopping, there are a number of very encouraging and almost immediate benefits to your health:

Within 20 minutes of stopping, your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.

By eight hours the levels of bad products in the blood such as nicotine and carbon monoxide are reduced by half and oxygen levels return to normal. Your circulation begins to improve.

After 48 hours no nicotine is left in the body and your sense of taste and smell are dramatically improved.

Between two and 12 weeks your circulation continues to improve. Your skin will look better.

Between three and nine months any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will improve.

By one year the risk of a heart attack falls to around half that of a smoker.

After 15 years the risk of a heart attack reduces to the same risk as someone who has never smoked.