Smoking can harm the body in many ways, such as increasing the risk of:

• Stroke
• Heart attacks
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• COPD

Smoking can cause over 50 different diseases, of which most are fatal. Cigarettes contain nicotine which is the addictive substance but they also contain over 4,000 chemicals including 69 cancer-causing chemicals such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde.

Stopping smoking can reverse many of the above health risks and the body will start to feel the benefits almost immediately.

• After 48 hours the lungs start to clear out mucus and cell debris.
• After two weeks the circulation will improve and energy levels increase.
• After one year the risk of heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
• After fifteen years the risk of a heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.

Adults with type 2 diabetes should be given opportunistic advice on smoking cessation and the use of stop smoking services at every opportunity.