I was happy to find out, then, that the Australian government continues to impress in its efforts to fight smoking. I recently found these two images, which are nearly identical, that summarize the benefits of smoking cessation, even going to far as to give a timeline of benefits. Quitting smoking is among the hardest things that a person can do, in part because the goal often seems so far away, and it comes with little reinforcement along the way. Fighting each craving is often its own individual battle, and with no rewards along the way, it can become a seemingly endless effort. Of course we all know that quitting smoking reduces one's likelihood of developing lung cancer, or having a stroke or heart attack, but these goals are way off in the future. I love this chart, because it gives goal posts along the way, starting at 8 hours, and proceeding through the days, weeks, and months that follow, each with an additional health benefit.
