Quit smoking on New Year’s Day: This will happen after one week

Smoking is more harmful than previously thought. New research from University College London (UCL) reveals that every cigarette smoked shortens a smoker’s life by an average of 20 minutes. Published today (30 December), the study estimates that a pack of 20 cigarettes results in nearly 7 hours of life lost. The research, commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), also highlights the positive impacts of quitting smoking. Smokers who stop on New Year’s Day could save a whole day of their life by 8 January, assuming they smoked 10 cigarettes daily. By 20 February, this figure increases to a week, and by the end of the year, they could avoid losing up to 50 days of life. Public health minister Andrew Gwynne has urged smokers to make a New Year’s resolution to quit, describing smoking as “an expensive and deadly habit.” “The new year offers a perfect chance for smokers to make a new resolution and take that step.”