Your lungs won't send you a warning letter. One morning, you may realize that a flight of stairs feels like a mountain, a quick walk leaves you gasping for air, and by then, your lungs may have already started to fail. Smoking doesn't ask for permission. It just takes, breath by breath, until there's barely anything left.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco epidemic remains one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, responsible for more than 7 million deaths annually, including an estimated 1.6 million non-smokers who die from second-hand smoke exposure. That's why World No Tobacco Day exists – to promote awareness about the dangers of smoking.

In this episode of Health Talk, Professor Xu Jinfu, president of Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, shares a real-life respiratory case. From the first signs of breathlessness to irreversible lung decline, Professor Xu explains why quitting smoking isn't just an option – it's the best treatment. Watch the video to understand why the best time to quit smoking is now.

Executive Producer: Zhang Jingwen

Producer: Yang Sha

Director: Chen Qingxuan, Song Chunni

Video Editor: Chen Qingxuan

Cameramen: Kang Kai, Wang Zihao

Cover Photo: Jing Ran