Every Cigarette Consumes 11 Minutes of Life

Jan. 4, 2000
Research shows male smokers risk an average of 11 minutes off their lifespan with each cigarette smoked.

If you are looking for another reason to keep that new year's resolution to quit smoking, listen to the findings of a recent study.

Male smokers are robbed of an average of 11 minutes off lifespan with each cigarette smoked, UK researchers estimate.

Smokers could be missing out on a lot of living, researchers said, pointing out that 11 minutes is enough for a phone call to a friend or a healthy walk.

Dr. Mary Shaw and colleagues from the University of Bristol in England based the estimate on data from a survey of British households.

They calculated that the typical male smoker "will consume a total of 311,688 cigarettes" from age 17 until death at age 71.

In a separate analysis, researchers found that a lifetime of smoking reduces the lifespan of the average male smoker by 6.5 years, compared with non-smokers.

This means, the research team wrote, that "each cigarette has cost him, on average, 11 minutes of life."

Eliminating a full carton of cigarettes would buy the smoker an extra day and a half of life -- enough time to fly around the world or take in an opera, the researchers said.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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