Stopping smoking can make a big difference to your health and lifestyle. It is never too late to stop smoking to greatly benefit your health.

If you stop smoking you:

- Reduce the risk of getting serious smoking-related diseases such as heart disease, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and peripheral vascular disease.

- Reduce the risk of getting various other conditions which, although not life-threatening, can cause unpleasant problems. For example:

•   Erection problems (impotence).
•   Fertility problems.
•   Optic neuropathy - this is a condition affecting the nerve supplying the eye.
•   Cataracts.
•   A breakdown of the tissue at the back of the eye (macular degeneration).
•   A skin condition called psoriasis.
•   Gum disease.
•  Tooth loss.
•  'Thinning' of the bones (osteoporosis).
•  Raynaud's phenomenon - in this condition, fingers turn white or blue when exposed to cold.

- Reduce the risk of pregnancy complications if you are pregnant.

If you have smoked since being a teenager or young adult:

- If you stop smoking before the age of about 35, your life expectancy is only slightly less than it is for people who have never smoked.

- If you stop smoking before the age of 50, you decrease the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by 50%.

(Source: patient.info)