Health effects of tobacco and smoking

The study outlined on the slide screened individuals between 1972–1978.^[5] Generally healthy people were selected by excluding individuals who had a history of many different existing conditions (including heart conditions, diabetes).^[5] A total of >42,000 people were included at baseline, and followed over approximately three decades to study eventual cause of death.^[5] The lowest category of cigarette smoking was 1–4 per day, and people in this lowest category of smoking were shown to have an increased risk of death from several causes compared with those who did not smoke at all.^[5] This study added to the mounting weight of longitudinal evidence that light smoking increases the risk of death, an important element for policymakers to consider.^[5]

Reference:

[1] US Center for Disease Control. Health effects of cigarette smoking. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/. Accessed June 2022.

[2] Le Foll B, Piper ME, Fowler CD, et al. Tobacco and nicotine use. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2022; 8 (1): 19.

[3] Maritz GS, Mutemwa M. Tobacco smoking: patterns, health consequences for adults, and the long-term health of the offspring. Glob J Health Sci 2012; 4 (4): 62–75.

[4] Zhu D, Zhao G, Wang X. Association of smoking and smoking cessation with overall and cause-specific mortality. Am J Prev Med 2021; 60 (4): 504–512.

[5] Bjartveit K, Tverdal A. Health consequences of smoking 1–4 cigarettes per day. Tob Control 2005; 14 (5): 315–320.