Under 40? Here's Another Reason to Quit Smoking Now (1:06)
It's never too late to kick the habit, but doing it before your 40th birthday is ideal. Darria Long-Gillespie, MD, talks in this video about the health and life expectancy benefits of quitting smoking at various ages.
Read Transcript
Hi, I'm Dr. Darria Long Gillespie. When it comes to smoking it's never too late to quit, but the earlier you kick the habit the better, especially if you're a smoker under 40. According to a recent study smoking takes at least 10 years off your lifespan compared to people who have never smoked, but the younger you are when you quit the more of those years you'll get back.
In fact, quitting before 40 reduces your risk of dying for smoking related diseases by 90%. In this study, researchers found that people who kicked the habit between 35 and 44 regained 9 years, those 45-54 regained 6 years and those 55 and older regained 4 years. That's not to say it's okay to puff cigarettes until you're 40 and then quit.
But it's good to know that quitting really can add years to your life. I'm Dr. Darria, for more ways to boost your health, check out all our smart tips.
Darria Long Gillespie, MD is Executive Vice President, Clinical Strategy at Sharecare, Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine and works as an emergency room doctor in the Emory University Hospital Emergency Department.
