Smoking Does Kill

Saying that smoking kills seems like a trivial thing to say these days, but there are still those who doubt the well documented ill effects of cigarettes on people's health. A recent study out of Norway in which 54,000 men and women were followed for thirty years clearly concludes that smokers have a greater chance of dying and having heart-disease and strokes than non-smokers.

Perhaps the most striking, and telling finding was that at the end of the 30 year follow up period 45% of heavy smoker men (>20 cigs per day) were dead, compared to just 18% of those who never smoked. Thirty three percent of the heavy-smoking women died during that period by comparison with only 13% of women who never smoked.

These percentages are not at all trivial, and hopefully will make young and not so young smokers considering quitting.