20.
That’s the number of minutes of your life you lose – every time you smoke a cigarette, according to a new study.
– People generally know that smoking is harmful, but they tend to underestimate how much, says researcher Sarah Jackson.
Start exercising more, eat healthier and stop smoking. These are some of the most popular New Year’s resolutions as 2024 turns into 2025. Carrying out the latter might not be so stupid, at least if a new study from University College London is to be believed.
It shows that a cigarette shortens life by 20 minutes on average, reports The Guardian. According to the research, this means that a regular pack of cigarettes shortens a person’s life by almost seven hours.
– People generally know that smoking is harmful, but they tend to underestimate how much. On average, smokers who don’t quit lose about a decade of life. It’s ten years of precious time, life moments and milestones with loved ones, says researcher Sarah Jackson to the newspaper.
The researchers’ explanation
A person who quits smoking tomorrow, and stays for just one week, can save a day of life according to the analysis. If that person lasts until the end of 2025, they can avoid losing 50 days of their life.
At the same time, the researchers explain that it is estimated that some will get serious diseases and die at a young age, while others live long healthy lives, depending on how susceptible the body is to the toxic smoke.