Addiction

Smoking costs 20 minutes of life per cigarette

January 8, 2025

Study details: Using data from the British Doctors Study and the Million Women Study, researchers examined the relationship between cigarette smoking and life expectancy. Data were collected from a large sample of adult smokers over a period of several decades, with detailed records of smoking habits and health outcomes.

Results: Analysis revealed that each cigarette smoked was associated with a reduction in life expectancy by approximately 20 minutes (17 for men and 22 for women). This finding was consistent across various demographic groups and remained significant after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status.

Clinical impact: Findings underscore the critical importance of smoking cessation interventions in clinical settings. Consider emphasizing the substantial life-shortening effects of smoking when counseling patients and integrating more robust smoking cessation programs into routine care.

Source:

Jackson SE, et al. (2024, December 24). Addiction. The price of a cigarette: 20 minutes of life? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39734064/