Quitting smoking as a New Year’s resolution could significantly extend your life expectancy, according to recent research from University College London. The study estimates that each cigarette smoked reduces life expectancy by approximately 20 minutes—17 minutes for men and 22 minutes for women.
Dr. Sarah Jackson, lead author and principal research fellow at UCL’s Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, explains that smoking a pack of 20 cigarettes daily equates to nearly seven hours of life lost per pack. This reduction affects the healthier middle years of life, not just the later stages.
The research, commissioned by the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care, analyzed mortality data from the British Doctors Study and the Million Women Study. Findings indicate that lifelong smokers lose about 10 years of life compared to non-smokers. Similarly, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that smokers’ life expectancy is at least 10 years shorter than that of non-smokers.
Encouragingly, quitting smoking can recover some of this lost time. Individuals who quit by their early 30s can achieve a life expectancy similar to those who never smoked. Even those who quit later in life gain significant benefits; for example, quitting by age 65 can add 1.4 to 2.0 years of life for men and 2.7 to 3.7 years for women.
Dr. Jackson emphasizes that stopping smoking is the best action for your health, with immediate and long-term benefits. The CDC notes that quitting before age 40 reduces the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by about 90%.
Despite declining smoking rates since the 1960s, cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, responsible for over 480,000 deaths annually. Therefore, making a resolution to quit smoking not only enhances your health but also significantly extends your life expectancy.