We all know there are more reasons to stop smoking than to continue smoking, but did you know how quickly some of the gains come? The first and foremost of the reasons to quit smoking is your health. The benefits are incredible. The heart rate drops 20 minutes after quitting; the carbon monoxide level returns to normal 12 hours after quitting; the blood circulation and lung function improves 2 to 3 months after quitting; coughing and shortness of breath go away one to nine months after quitting; risk of heart disease halves one year after quitting; the stroke risk is reduced five years after quitting; lung cancer rate drops to half 10 years after quitting.

There will be a clear improvement in your appearance. The premature wrinkling of skin will be arrested; the stale smell of cigarette smoke will go away; the teeth will become less stained and the clothes will become free of the smell of tobacco.

You will start enjoying your food once again. Your sense of smell will return to normal and you will stop running out of breath while climbing stairs or even doing routine housework. The money that you were blowing on cigarettes will also become available for productive purposes.

Most important, your social acceptance will grow. You will not be asked to leave the room if you want to smoke. The housekeeping staff feels will be less ill-disposed towards you because your office room no longer smells of stale smoke; there is no spilled ash on the carpet or holes in the drapes. The quality of life of those who matter to you, like your immediate family members, will become better. They will be less likely to suffer from health problems caused by passive smoking. Also, there is less likelihood of a miscarriage and less health problems for babies.

Your standing will go up in your house. Your family will look up to you, and take pride in the fact that you gave up smoking. This is indeed a very positive way of ensuring that your children don't take to smoking.