This could be the wake-up call smokers need to quit for good.
Health experts are urging smokers to finally quit as new findings reveal the shocking extent of how much life is lost due to the habit.
By now, most people understand that smoking tobacco is harmful to health.
However this new research has provided updated and more precise data on just how much damage smoking causes to life expectancy.
The results are sobering and offer a stark reminder of the heavy toll smoking takes on the body, highlighting why quitting could be the best decision for anyone who smokes.
Dr. Sarah Jackson, a principal research fellow at University College London’s alcohol and tobacco research group, spoke about the study and its implications.
She explained: "People generally know that smoking is harmful but tend to underestimate just how much."
Adding further context, she noted: "On average, smokers who don't quit lose around a decade of life. That's 10 years of precious time, life moments, and milestones with loved ones."
A Dr has said people often underestimate just how unhealthy smoking is Getty Stock Image
The research conducted at University College London revealed that, on average, a single cigarette takes approximately 20 minutes off a smoker's life.
This startling finding means that a pack of 20 cigarettes could reduce someone’s lifespan by nearly seven hours.
The study, which was commissioned by the Department of Health, used the latest data from the British Doctors Study and was published in the Journal of Addiction.
Beyond the shortened lifespan, the cumulative damage from smoking can lead to a host of other serious health issues, making these findings even more alarming.
The analysis also highlighted how much life smokers could reclaim by quitting, using projections for 2025.
The study found that if someone smoking 10 cigarettes a day quits on January 1, they could save a full day of life by January 8.
By February 5, their extended life expectancy could amount to an entire week. If they manage to stay cigarette-free until August 5, they could avoid losing a full month of life.
By the year’s end, a smoker who quits could have gained back up to 50 days of life, according to the study’s calculations.
These figures provide powerful motivation for anyone considering quitting, showing the tangible benefits of breaking the habit.
2025 might be the best time to bin the unhealthy habit Getty Stock Image
Dr. Jackson elaborated on the broader consequences of continuing to smoke, emphasizing the long-term impact on health.
She explained: "Some people might think they don't mind missing out on a few years of life, given that old age is often marked by chronic illness or disability. But smoking doesn't cut short the unhealthy period at the end of life."
She continued, highlighting how the habit steals away years of relatively healthy life: "It primarily eats into the relatively healthy years in midlife, bringing forward the onset of ill-health. This means a 60-year-old smoker will typically have the health profile of a 70-year-old non-smoker."
The authors of the study stressed that quitting smoking offers substantial health benefits, no matter your age.
With 2025 just around the corner, they suggested this might be the perfect time to make quitting a New Year’s resolution that could truly change your life.
