95% of ex-smokers in England see positive changes soon after quitting: Study

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - A vast majority of ex-smokers experience positive changes as soon as two weeks after quitting, according to a new study.

Some 3,000 adults were interviewed in the last week of August as part of the study conducted by Censuswide. The study found that some of the top benefits they saw within 2 weeks of quitting included having more energy (45%), feeling healthier (42%) and breathing better (42%).

In addition to key improvements in health measures, it said, many survey respondents also noted improvement in their ability to exercise (22%), healthier looking skin (24%), their sense of taste returning (25%), and saving money (34%).

Citing the survey, the government called on smokers to join the thousands of others committing to quit from Oct. 1 as part of Stoptober, a campaign that offers a range of free quitting support for smokers.

“While smoking rates are declining, over 5 million adults in England still smoke and smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the country - linked to 64,000 deaths a year,” the Health and Social Care Department said in a statement.

The total cost of smoking to society in England is approximately £17 billion ($21 billion) a year – it includes the cost to the NHS of treating diseases caused by smoking at approximately £1.9 billion a year, according to the statement.

"Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. When people quit smoking, the benefits are huge - they are healthier, wealthier and pressure on the NHS eases," said Health Minister Neil O’Brien.

Dawn Harper, an NHS doctor, said that the Stoptober initiative has helped over 2.5 million people quit over the past year.