Like the man said, to a point. There are a lot of factors that can influence the results. But yes, some tissue actually regenerates in many cases. The human body has an amazing ability for healing and recovery, given the chance to do so.
When Smokers Quit – What Are the Benefits Over Time?
20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.
1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease.
15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's.
If you want real hard info, I can work on it a bit.
BTW, if you have a good Family Practice physician, let them in on your plan. They often have ways of helping get over the first hump and making it stick. When my wife still did private and community practice, she was able to provide good help and support for a number of people who wanted to kick their nicotine addiction.
