No Cutting Down, just Stub it Out

Are you scared that each puff of cigarette is playing havoc with your life, and think reducing the number of cigarettes might help cut down the risk?

Are you scared that each puff of cigarette is playing havoc with your life, and think reducing the number of cigarettes might help cut down the risk? Recent research however says there are no half measures for heavy smokers wanting to minimise the risk of an early death.

What does the new research say

A recent Norwegian study found stubbing out was the only way to cut the risk. The scientists assessed the participants for cardiovascular risk factors at the start of the study, and then monitored for an average period of more than 20 years. They were classified into various groups, including non-smokers, moderate smokers (up to 14 cigarettes a day), and reducers, who smoked more than 15 cigarettes a day at the start of the study, but who had cut back by more than half by the second check. Men who had cut back had slightly lower death rates from all causes than heavy smokers during the first 15 years. However, after that death rates were comparable. Women who cut back actually had higher death rates from all causes combined than heavy smokers—although the researchers said this could simply be a chance finding.

What experts say

Evidence shows that smoking just one to four cigarettes a day increases the risk of dying from heart disease dramatically. “Research has shown that smoking one cigarette a day reduces your life for five minutes. Even otherwise smoking even less is very harmful as smoke has its effect,” says Dr Nishith Chandra, Senior Consultant at Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre in Delhi.

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“It is widespread to offer smokers a last resort: ‘If you are unable to quit, cut down’. But that doesn’t happen as there is always a chance of a relapse. Today you might smoke two cigarettes, tomorrow it will go up to 5. Smoking has a cumulative effect and every cigarette smoked is taking you a step towards death. The only way out is to quit entirely.” he says.

For your information

A separate study in the same journal found that pregnant smokers may “programme” their children to take up the habit. The Australian study of more than 3,000 mothers compared the smoking patterns of their children when they reached the age of 21. Children whose mothers had smoked while pregnant were almost three times as likely to start smoking regularly at or before the age of 14, and around twice as likely to start smoking after this age, than those whose mothers were non-smokers. Smoking patterns among children whose mothers stopped smoking while pregnant, but then resumed the habit, were similar to those whose mothers had never smoked.