Live Longer: The Benefits of Quitting Smoking
The Rewards of Smoking Cessation. Published in Epidemiology (Volume 7, pages 111-112, January 1996) by Brad Rodu and Philip Cole.
You've probably read a lot about the health risks of cigarette smoking, but it is unlikely that your doctor has been able to effectively convey to you how important it is to quit. In this study we estimate the benefit of quitting, as measured by what's most important to you, increased life expectancy. Look up your age in the men's and women's tables below, then check out your tobacco use category. Remember that the numbers are only averages, but the real story is in the differences between the categories.
Average Life Expectancy
|
Your Age
Now
|
Never
Smoker
|
Continuing
To Smoke
|
Quitting
Now
|
Switching To
Smokeless Now
|
Men
|
|
|
|
|
40
|
41.2
|
33.5
|
40.7
|
40.7
|
50
|
31.7
|
24.6
|
29.9
|
29.8
|
60
|
22.5
|
16.5
|
18.4
|
18.4
|
Women
|
|
|
|
|
40
|
44.3
|
40.0
|
44.4
|
44.4
|
50
|
34.8
|
30.6
|
34.6
|
34.6
|
60
|
25.5
|
21.9
|
24.1
|
24.0
|
In general men and women who quit smoking between 40 and 60 years years of age live ten to twenty percent longer than continuing smokers. In most cases the quitter's life expectancy is closer to that of the never smoker than to that of the persistent smoker. In addition, the benefit extends to individuals who quit smoking but continue to use nicotine via the alternative delivery system of smokeless tobacco. Our analysis provides you with a clear description of the benefits of quitting versus continuing to smoke. |
