Smoking’s deadly toll is more severe than previously thought, with a new study from University College London revealing that each cigarette shortens life expectancy by an average of 19.5 minutes.
The data, commissioned by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care, shows a grim disparity between genders: women lose 22 minutes per cigarette, while men lose 17 minutes, reported the New York Post. The findings starkly contrast with older estimates, which pegged the impact at 11 minutes per cigarette.
Researchers emphasize that even casual or occasional smoking can have profound health consequences.
For habitual smokers, the statistics are staggering. A single pack of 20 cigarettes trims nearly seven hours from a smoker’s life. Smoking one cigarette a day for a decade reduces life expectancy by 43 days for men and nearly 56 days for women, reported the Post.
Despite the sobering figures, the research offers hope: quitting smoking at any age can halt further damage and even add years back to one’s lifespan.
The study underscores how rapidly quitting can yield benefits. For example, a person who smokes ten cigarettes daily and quits on New Year’s Day could prevent losing an entire day of life by January 8.
Public Health Minister Andrew Gwynne called the findings “shocking,” per the Post. She urged smokers to seize the opportunity to quit, pointing out that modern cessation products and treatments offer effective pathways to breaking the habit.
Dr. Sarah Jackson, a principal research fellow with UCL’s Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, affirmed that the benefits of quitting begin almost immediately. “The sooner a person stops smoking, the longer they live,” she said, adding that quitting can improve quality of life as well as longevity, reported the Post.
Smoking’s detrimental effects extend far beyond shortening life expectancy, with links to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
