Single Cigarette Takes 20 Minutes Off Life Expectancy, Study Finds

A new University College London study reveals that each cigarette shortens life expectancy by 20 minutes, nearly doubling previous estimates. Smoking a pack a day equates to losing seven hours daily, emphasizing the profound health impact of tobacco use.

Researchers highlight that quitting smoking, even briefly, yields immediate benefits: stopping for a week by January 8 saves a day of life, while a year-long cessation prevents the loss of 50 days. Smoking-related diseases claim up to two-thirds of long-term users, cutting a decade from life expectancy. Public health professionals are urged to leverage tools like the NHS Quit Smoking app to combat this leading preventable cause of death. Read more from The Guardian here.