Recovery Timeline

Most but not all benefits listed below are related to smoking. Why? Here in the U.S., there are ten times as many smokers as oral tobacco users.[1] Smoking, by far, reflects the greatest health risks of any form of nicotine delivery. And until the e-cigarette's arrival, the vast majority of research focused upon it.

Remember, the absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence. Just because science can't yet tell us when most oral tobacco, NRT, or e-cig recovery benefits occur, it doesn't mean that they're not happening.

Let's review a few health benefits of life on the free side of dependency's bars.[2]

When ending all tobacco and nicotine use, within ...

• 20 minutes Our blood pressure, heart rate, and the temperature of our hands and feet return to normal.
• 8 hours Remaining nicotine in our bloodstream will have fallen to 6% of normal peak daily levels, a 94% reduction.
• 12 hours The ex-smoker's blood oxygen level will have increased to normal while carbon monoxide levels have dropped to normal too.
• 24 hours Anxieties peak and within two weeks should return to near pre-cessation levels.
• 48 hours Damaged nerve endings have started to re-grow and our sense of smell and taste are beginning to return to normal. Cessation anger and irritability peaks.
• 72 hours Our body is 100% nicotine-free and over 90% of all nicotine metabolites have been excreted via urine. Withdrawal symptoms have peaked. Lung bronchial tubes are beginning to relax and breathing is becoming easier.
• 5 to 8 days The "average" ex-smoker will encounter an "average" of three cue-induced crave episodes per day.
• 10 days The average ex-user is down to encountering less than two crave episodes per day.
• 10 days to 2 weeks Recovery has likely progressed to the point where our addiction is no longer doing the talking.
• 2 weeks Blood circulation in our gums and teeth is now similar to that of a non-user.
• 2 to 4 weeks Anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, impatience, insomnia, restlessness, and depression have ended (if not, consult your physician).
• 3–4 weeks Brain acetylcholine receptor counts have down-regulated and receptor binding has returned to levels seen in non-smokers.[3]
• 2 weeks to 3 months Heart attack risk has started to drop and lung function continues to improve.
• 3 weeks to 3 months Circulation improves. Walking becomes easier. Chronic cough often disappears.
• 1 to 9 months Sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia re-grow in lungs.
• 1 year Excess risk of coronary heart disease drops to less than half that of a smoker.
• 5 to 15 years Risk of stroke declines to that of a non-smoker.
• 10 years Lung cancer death risk drops by nearly half. Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus decreases.
• 15 years Risk of coronary heart disease becomes similar to that of a person who never smoked.

Arriving Home

What was it like to go entire days without once thinking about wanting to smoke, dip, chew, suck, or vape nicotine? What was it like being "you"?

Don't feel alone if you can no longer recall. That's what drug addiction is all about, quickly burying nearly all remaining memory of the beauty of life without using.

Trust in your common sense and dreams. It's my hope that you're curious about what it's like to go days, weeks, and then months without once wanting to introduce nicotine back into your bloodstream.

We leave absolutely nothing of value behind. In fact, every neurochemical that nicotine controlled already belonged to us. As recovering addicts, we can do everything we did while enslaved, and do it as well as or better once free.

Why fight and rebel against freedom and healing when within just two weeks it will be savored, embraced, protected, hugged, and loved?

Joel burned an extremely bright line into my mind, one I'll do my very best to keep clean and clear every remaining day of my life. He taught me that I get to stay and live here on the free side of that line so long as it's never crossed.