World No Tobacco Day celebrated on May 31 every year, provides a perfect opportunity to educate smokers about their high vulnerability to COVID-19 and inspire them to quit smoking. #QuitKarona is an initiative of Nicotex in that direction. The campaign aims to highlight how apart from all its other ill-effects, smoking can reduce a person's ability to fight COVID-19, which can prove to be fatal in the current pandemic.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GIVING UP SMOKING
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Within 20 minutes:
Your heart rate and blood pressure drop
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Within 12 hours:
Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal
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In 2-12 weeks:
Circulation improves and your lung function increases
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In 1-9 months:
Coughing and shortness of breath decrease for a person who has quit smoking
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Within 1 year:
Risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker's
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In 5 years:
Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting smoking
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In 10 years time:
Risk of lung cancer falls to about half, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, pancreas decreases