New Study Reveals Every Cigarette Shortens Your Life by 20 Minutes

Berfin Ceren Meray
Onedio Member
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A groundbreaking study by University College London has uncovered a shocking truth: each cigarette you smoke takes 20 minutes off your life, while an entire pack could cost you 7 hours! With smoking still being one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and deaths worldwide, experts are urging everyone to quit, especially as we enter the new year. In the UK alone, approximately 80,000 people die every year due to smoking-related causes. Here’s why this revelation is more important than ever.

As we enter the new year, an important call is being made to smokers to quit.

A study conducted at University College London revealed that smoking shortens life expectancy much more than we thought.

According to The Guardian, a study has shown that smoking a single cigarette takes an average of 20 minutes off your life.

This means that a pack of 20 cigarettes shortens your life by about 7 hours.

"10 years of life lost."

According to Dr. Sarah Jackson, everyone knows that smoking is harmful, but the extent of the damage is often underestimated. Jackson says, 'Those who don't quit smoking lose an average of 10 years. Just think, that's 10 years you could be spending with your loved ones,' she says. Smoking continues to be one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and deaths worldwide. In the UK, around 80,000 people die each year from smoking-related causes. Additionally, smoking is responsible for a quarter of cancer deaths.

"The damage is much greater."

The study is based on data from the 1951 British Doctors Study, which has been examining the effects of smoking for decades, and the Million Women Study, which has been following women's health since 1996. Previous research indicated that one cigarette shortened life by 11 minutes. However, this new study has nearly doubled that time to 20 minutes. Dr. Jackson says, 'Some people may think that old age is spent with illnesses and are willing to sacrifice a few years. But smoking impacts the healthy middle years of life.' She adds, 'A 60-year-old smoker typically has the health of a 70-year-old non-smoker.'

"It can't be done without quitting completely."

Experts say that quitting smoking completely is the only way to protect health and extend life expectancy. 'Quitting smoking is beneficial at any age, but the earlier you quit, the longer and healthier your life will be,' they say. Professor Sanjay Agrawal from the Royal College of Physicians adds, 'Every cigarette takes valuable minutes from your life. This study once again highlights how urgent it is to quit smoking.'