Just One Cigarette Can Take 20 Minutes off Your Life

For centuries, the use of tobacco and smoking has been a part of our culture and other cultures around the world. Even up until the mid 1960s, smoking cigarettes was allowed in nearly every public space; hospitals, school buildings, bars, and restaurants included. It wasn't until the 1970s and '80s that the health consequences became more apparent, with illnesses such as gum disease and lung cancer being directly linked to smoking.

And while we know that regular cigarette use is dangerous for our health and the health of those around us, new research found that it may also have a direct link to a shorter life span. 

According to a study from the University College London, smoking a single cigarette takes about 20 minutes off a person’s life, on average. That means if you smoke one pack of 20 cigarettes, you'll lose nearly seven hours off of your life. Add three more packs and you'll lose over a day. 

Most data comes to the same conclusion—the harm caused by smoking is generally cumulative. Therefore, the sooner you stop regularly smoking, the longer you'll live. 

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To put it into perspective, the analysis concluded that if a person who smokes 10 cigarettes per day quits smoking on Jan. 1, 2025, they could prevent the loss of a full day of life by Jan. 8. In addition, if they stopped smoking for 20 days from Jan. 1 to Feb. 20, they could boost their life expectancy by a week. If they didn't smoke from Jan. 1 to Aug. 5, they would gain a whole week and if they stopped for a year they would gain back 50 days of life. 

"Most smokers realize that smoking could shorten their life but not the impact of each cigarette they smoke," the study's authors said. "Britain has some of the best data available worldwide to estimate the average loss of life per cigarette smoked, which is approximately 20 minutes: 17 for men and 22 for women."

Aside from obesity, smoking cigarettes is one of the main causes of death worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in five people die each year from cigarette use. That's more than 480,000 deaths annually, including deaths from secondhand smoke. Not to mention, cigarettes are known to cause heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

If you've been hesitant to stop smoking, this could be the sign you need to start 2025 fresh.