Q. Will my life improve if I give up smoking?

A. Here are ten benefits of quitting smoking:

• Live longer - half of all long-term smokers die early from smoking-related diseases, including heart disease, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis. Whenever you give up you can add years to your life

• You breathe more easily - people breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking because their lung capacity improves by up to 10 per cent within nine months.

• You have more energy - within two to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, your blood circulation improves, making physical activity, including walking and running, much easier.

• Feel less stressed - while withdrawal heightens feelings of stress, people’s stress levels are lower after they stop smoking.

• Improved smell and taste - you may notice food tastes and smells different as your mouth and nose recover from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

• Younger-looking skin - stopping smoking slows facial ageing and delays the appearance of wrinkles.

• Whiter teeth and sweeter breath - giving up tobacco stops teeth becoming stained.

• Protect loved ones - breathing in second hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke.

• Improve your fertility - non-smokers find it easier to get pregnant

• Better sex - stopping smoking improves the body’s blood flow, so improves sensitivity.

Dr Richard Russell, James Cochrane Practice