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Rare Smoking Already one cigarette a day increases the risk of dying according to the medical profession
Everyone knows that smoking endangers their health. But some people think, who only occasionally attacks, does not harm his body. But far from it. A new study shows that even a few cigarettes a day increase the likelihood of dying early.
Occasional smokers are also smokers
Years ago, American scientists discovered after an investigation: Occasional smokers are also smokers. "Because they falsely believe they are not smokers and therefore do not intend to quit smoking, occasional smokers continue to expose themselves to the effects of tobacco smoking," Dr. Wael Al-Delaimy from the University of California at San Diego, back then. And these consequences can be life-threatening even with very low cigarette consumption, as a recent study shows.
A new study shows that there is no health-safe level of smoking. Even people who smoke on average less than one cigarette per day have a higher premature mortality risk. A smoking cessation is therefore always worthwhile. (Image: Knut Wiarda / fotolia.com) One cigarette per day increases the premature risk of death
Smokers not only get sick and die of lung cancer. Tobacco use also increases the risk of several other types of cancer and other diseases such as smoker's or smoker's cough, asthma, chronic bronchitis and heart attack and stroke.
Not only people who smoke all day are exposed to such dangers, but also those who only occasionally reach for food. According to a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, even people who smoke on average less than one cigarette per day have a higher premature mortality risk than lifelong nonsmokers.
There is no safe level of smoking
"The study's findings support warnings that there is no health-safe level of smoking," said lead author Maki Inoue-Choi of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in a statement from the National Institute of Health..
"The results show that even smoking a small number of cigarettes a day has a significant negative impact on health, and they prove that smoking cessation benefits all smokers, no matter how little cigarettes they smoke," said the expert.
Tobacco use claims five million lives each year
It is estimated that around five million people worldwide die as a result of smoking each year. The study evaluated data from more than 290,000 Americans who were between 59 and 82 years old at the start of the study.
Among them were around 22,000 smokers, 156,000 ex-smokers and 111,000 lifelong smokers. Of the smokers, about 1,500 averaged one to ten cigarettes a day. With 159 participants it was lifelong less than a cigarette.
Increased risk of dying earlier
It has been found that people who smoke one to ten cigarettes per day over the long term have a 84 percent higher risk of dying earlier than lifelong non-smokers.
Of the 111,473 lifelong nonsmokers considered, 9,821 (9 percent) died of cancer, cardiovascular or lung disease with a link to tobacco use.
Among the participants who smoked up to ten cigarettes a day, there were 232 of the 1,493 participants (16 percent). According to the researchers, ex-smokers improved their life expectancy more the earlier they quit smoking.
Deficits of the study
However, the scientists point out that the low number of registered smokers who consume less than one cigarette per day severely limits the data's usefulness for this group.
In addition, the 159 people lacked more detailed information on smoking habits: Do they tend to get a fudge every two days or do they smoke once a week at a party? In addition, there are also uncertainties, as the surveyed study participants had to remember their smoking behavior several decades ago. (Ad)