A recent study has revealed that smoking a single cigarette can cut an average of 17 minutes off a man’s life and 22 minutes off a woman’s. This updated estimate nearly doubles the widely-cited figure of 11 minutes from a 2000 BMJ study.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) analysed data from the British Doctors Study and the Million Women Study, which tracked smoking habits and health outcomes across decades. They determined that smokers who do not quit lose approximately 10 to 11 years of life expectancy compared to non-smokers.
Dr Sarah Jackson of UCL’s alcohol and tobacco research group told The Guardian that these findings highlight the staggering impact of smoking. “On average, smokers lose around a decade of life. That’s 10 years of precious moments and milestones with loved ones,” she said. The updated figures reveal that a typical pack of 20 cigarettes can shave nearly seven hours off a smoker’s life, making cessation efforts even more urgent.
The study also explored the cumulative impact of quitting. A smoker who consumes 10 cigarettes daily could prevent losing a full day of life by quitting for just one week and gain back a month of life by abstaining for eight months. By the end of the year, such a smoker could have avoided losing 50 days of life.
The harm caused by smoking is not limited to the later years of life. “Smoking primarily eats into the healthy middle years, accelerating the onset of ill health,” Jackson noted. For instance, a 60-year-old smoker typically has the health profile of a 70-year-old non-smoker.
Although smoking rates have declined, the study warns that cigarettes today may be smoked more intensively to compensate for reduced consumption, potentially increasing the harm caused. The researchers said that complete cessation is the only way to maximise health benefits, with partial reductions offering minimal gains.