Quitting smoking can have a significant impact on one’s life expectancy. A recent study found that smoking shortens life expectancy even more than previously thought, with a single cigarette taking about 20 minutes off a person’s life. On average, a pack of 20 cigarettes can reduce life expectancy by nearly seven hours.
Researchers at University College London analyzed data from the British Doctors Study and the Million Women Study to reach their conclusions. They found that quitting smoking on January 1st can prevent the loss of around 50 days of life by August 31st.
Dr. Sarah Jackson, a principal research fellow at UCL’s alcohol and tobacco research group, said: “People generally know that smoking is harmful but tend to underestimate just how much.” She added that smokers who don’t quit lose around a decade of life, which is equivalent to 10 years of precious time with loved ones.
Smoking is one of the world’s leading preventable causes of disease and death. It kills up to two-thirds of long-term users and causes about 80,000 deaths a year in the UK. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce this risk.
The study highlights the importance of quitting smoking completely to reap the full benefits for health and life expectancy. Previous research has shown that there is no safe level of smoking, and the sooner smokers quit, the longer and healthier they can expect their lives to be.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/dec/30/single-cigarette-takes-20-minutes-off-life-expectancy-study