Question: I quit smoking a decade ago, and am wondering if my tobacco habit (I smoked for nearly 20 years) means I am more likely to develop heart disease or lung cancer, even though I no longer smoke?
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
The answer is yes. Your cumulative smoking exposure over the years that you did smoke is what increases your risk of heart disease and lung cancer. You have had a 20-year exposure risk from exposure to carcinogens, tar, and miscellaneous components of burning tobacco. That risk never entirely goes away even after you quit smoking.
But the fact that you have quit tobacco stops your risk from increasing, which is a very good thing.
So rest assured that you have made a positive move by kicking the habit. Now that you have quit, you have prevented any further escalation of your risks from conditions caused or compounded by smoking.
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