Two out of three smokers will die of their habit if they continue to smoke, a major study finds.
In addition, smoking just 10 cigarettes a day doubles the risk of dying, while smoking a pack a day increases death risk four- to five-fold compared to non-smokers.
Researchers found that smoking takes an average of 10 years off a person’s life.
This new study from Australia is the first broad cross-section population study to confirm this death rate, which is higher than shown by previous research.
Until recently, studies had pegged the increased death rate for smokers at about 50 percent.
“We knew smoking was bad, but we now have direct independent evidence that confirms the disturbing findings that have been emerging internationally,” said lead author Emily Banks, a professor at the Australian National University of the study.
The new study is the result of a four-year analysis of health outcomes from more than 200,000 men and women participating in the largest longitudinal study of healthy aging in the Southern Hemisphere.
Australia has one of the lowest smoking rates in the world -- 13 percent of the population – and is an international leader in smoking prevention efforts. "But our findings are an important reminder that the war on tobacco is not yet won, and tobacco control efforts must go on," Banks said.
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