Middle Age Smoking Cuts Your Life Short by 10 Years

Each cigarette a woman smokes pushes her closer to an early grave. Women who smoke heavily into middle age cut their lives short by around 10 years. But quitting early pays off; kick the habit before 30 and the risk of premature death drops by 97 percent.

The findings mirror results from a study of male smokers from 2004. “Whether men or women, smokers who stop before middle age will on average gain about 10 years of life,” says Richard Peto of the University of Oxford, head of both studies.

Meanwhile, the health benefits of legislation banning smoking at work and in restaurants continue to accumulate. A review in Circulation of studies covering 33 smoke-free laws around the world found that, on average, far fewer people are being admitted to hospitals after heart attacks and strokes since anti-smoking laws came into force.

– Andy Coghlan, New Scientist Magazine

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