There’s no better time to quite smoking than now, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are here to help you take the first step. According to a report from Philly.com, the CDC has released some of the latest figures on smoking in the U.S., and their findings are a stark reminder of why quitting tobacco is a good idea.

The CDC states that cigarettes are responsible for the death of more than 480,000 Americans every year. They stress that quitting at a young age significantly increases the chances of success in remaining tobacco free later in life. It’s never too late to quit, however, and the CDC recommends that people of all ages not smoke.

The health benefits of quitting tobacco are apparent almost immediately. In addition to feeling more energetic, quitting tobacco has been shown to decrease the risk of stroke, heart attack, decline of lung function, lung cancer, diabetes, complications related to pregnancy, osteoporosis, bone fracture, and gum disease.

Longtime smokers are recommended to get screened for lung cancer, especially if they are older than the age of 55. People who smoked more than 30 packs per years are at a significant risk of developing a smoking related cancer. Symptoms of the disease often take a while to appear, so smokers are at risk even if they don’t notice anything.

Screens for lung cancer are covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare. It entails a low-dose chest CAT scan, and could potentially save lives by catching the disease in its early stages.

The CDC recently organized an event called the Great American Smokeout to raise awareness about the detrimental health risks of smoking tobacco. It happened on November 19, and spread information about how people could take the first steps toward a tobacco-free life. A press release from the CDC describing the event can be found here.