Ask the doctor: Why quit smoking at an older age?

Q. I am 73 years old. Will quitting smoking really make a difference in my health at this point?

A. In my patients who are smokers, one of the biggest obstacles to quitting is their belief that they've already damaged their body and quitting won't reverse that damage. I tell them that many careful studies have shown that their thinking is wrong. In fact, your body has enormous recuperative powers, if you give it a chance, regardless of your age.