A new study reveals that smoking as few as two to five cigarettes a day significantly increases the risk of heart disease and early death by up to 60%. The research, published in PLOS Medicine, challenges the long-held belief that light smoking is less harmful, emphasizing that complete cessation is the only way to reverse these health risks.
The study, conducted by the American Heart Association’s Tobacco Regulation and Addiction Center, analyzed data from over 320,000 adults across 22 long-term health studies. Findings indicate that even low levels of smoking cause substantial cardiovascular damage, with current smokers facing more than double the risk of dying from any cause compared to non-smokers. Those who smoked only two to five cigarettes daily had double the chance of developing heart disease.
Researchers also found that health risks decrease immediately after quitting smoking, with significant improvements observed within 10 years. However, it may take up to 30 years for former smokers to see their risks fall to those of non-smokers. The study highlights that reducing smoking intensity rather than quitting entirely is not effective in mitigating health risks. The authors suggest that the primary public health message should focus on complete cessation rather than partial reduction. They also note limitations, including self-reported smoking data and the exclusion of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products from the study.