VIDEO: People Don't Bounce Back As Quickly After Stopping Smoking
It takes 10 to 15 years after a smoker quits for cardiovascular risk to return to normal.
It can take up to 15 years for smokers to recover as if they had never smoked.
While it's true that the effects of smoking start to fade as soon as a smoker quits, new research suggests the effects of the habit can persist for a decade or more after quitting.
People who smoke about a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease for 10 to 15 years after they quit than those who never smoked.
As of 2017, just 14 percent of people in the U.S. were smokers -- a significant decrease from just over 42 percent in 1965 -- but that means well over 30 million people still smoke.
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