According to a new large-scale study conducted by scientists at Johns Hopkins University, smoking even just a few cigarettes a day (two to five cigarettes) significantly increases the risk of heart disease and premature death compared to people who have never smoked.
The results of 22 studies, based on data from over 300,000 people, show that low-intensity smoking increases the risk of heart failure by 50%, and the risk of death from any cause by 60%.
After quitting smoking, the risk of cardiovascular events drops most significantly in the first decade, and the decline continues over time. Nevertheless, according to the study, even after 30 years, former smokers may still have a higher risk compared to those who have never smoked.
The scientists conclude that the best way to reduce the risk is to completely quit smoking as early as possible, and merely reducing the number of cigarettes smoked is not enough.
This study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, once again underscores the main public health message: smoking is harmful at any dose, and the most important thing is to fully quit smoking as soon as possible.
