As a smoker, you or the people who care about you may be worried about a connection between COVID-19 and smoking. Scientists are still learning about the disease, but we know that:

• Being a current smoker increases your risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Smoking weakens the immune system, making it harder for your body to fight disease.
• If you continue to smoke, you have a greater risk for respiratory infections like pneumonia, colds, or flu.
• COVID-19 impacts many of the same organs of the body as smoking.
• For those with heart or lung disease caused by smoking, you are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

But there is good news:

Soon after you stop smoking, your body begins to heal. Within the first few weeks and months, your lungs start to work better and your risk for a heart attack goes down.

No matter how old you are or how long you've been smoking, quitting smoking improves your health and adds years to your life.