Cigarettes Linked to Cause of Death in More Than 60% of Smokers

A new study finds cigarettes are linked to the cause of death in more than 60 percent of smokers. Smoking shortens the life of an average smoker by 10 years, Australian researchers found. Previous research suggested cigarettes caused the death of 50 percent of smokers, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The findings come from an analysis of health records of more than 200,000 Australians. The researchers conclude even people who are moderate smokers are putting their health at risk. They found the risk of death is doubled among people who smoke an average of 10 cigarettes daily. The risk of dying over the four years of the study increased with the number of cigarettes a person smoked daily.

“People don’t realize how damaging even light smoking is for your health – for cancer, heart disease, lung disease and a range of other conditions,” study co-author Freddy Sitas said in a news release.

Added study lead author Emily Banks, “The good news is that stopping smoking at any age reduces the risk; the younger you are when you quit, the better.”