Smoking is costly to your health, and now the figures provide a striking illustration of this. Here are the results of a recent study carried out by researchers at University College London (UCL).
Although everyone knows that smoking kills, it seems that many smokers are unaware of the extent to which tobacco is harmful to health. Researchers looked at the cumulative effects of tobacco on life expectancy, based on two large-scale studies: the British Doctors Study, begun in 1951, and the Million Women Study, conducted between 1996 and 2011. Their conclusions are clear: each cigarette reduces life expectancy by 17 minutes for men and 22 minutes for women. An average that reflects the extent of the damage caused by this habit, as highlighted actu.fr.
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“People generally know that smoking is harmful, but tend to underestimate how much,” explains Dr Sarah Jackson, from the UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, in an interview with Guardian. “On average, smokers who do not quit smoking lose about a decade of life. That’s 10 years of precious time, life moments and meaningful moments with loved ones.”
A resolution for 2025?
If quitting smoking is among your resolutions for 2025, this study offers a motivating perspective. According to researchers' projections, a person smoking 10 cigarettes per day and whoever stops on January 1 could hope for a significant gain, namely: an entire day of life saved by January 8; one week of life saved by February 20 and one month of life saved by August 5. By December 31, 2025, this same ex-smoker would have avoided losing 50 days of life.
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Contrary to popular belief, smoking does not only affect the last years of life, often associated with chronic illnesses. “Smoking primarily encroaches on the relatively healthy middle years, and precipitates the onset of ill health,” warns Sarah Jackson. “This means that a 60-year-old smoker will generally have the health profile of a 70-year-old non-smoker.” These data highlight that the effects of tobacco are not limited to reduced life expectancy: they also affect the quality of the years lived.
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Results that call for action
Despite these alarming figures, researchers point out that every effort to quit smoking is beneficial. The effects vary from one individual to another, depending on sensitivity to toxic substances or the depth of inhalation. However, the message is clear: “The sooner smokers move away from this escalator to death, the longer and healthier they can expect to live.”, concludes the study, published December 29 in the journal Addiction.
Tobacco is one of the leading preventable causes of disease and premature death worldwide. In 2025, resolving to quit could well be one of the most impactful decisions for your health and that of your loved ones. One less cigarette means 20 minutes more life.
Passionate about women's news, Agathe has been deciphering the latest trends for aufeminin since 2022. Her favorite areas? Psychology, nutrition and well-being advice, without forgetting the tips…
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