University College London study reveals smokers ‘losing seven hours of their life’ from each pack of cigarettes

We all knew smoking was bad. But a new study has revealed just how much damage you’re doing to yourself with each cheeky cigarette.

It might be time for that New Year’s resolution, for real this time.

A new study has revealed that every single cigarette you smoke could take an average of 20 minutes off your life.

The study, led by researchers at University College London (UCL), found that men lose about 17 minutes per cigarette, while women lose an average of 22 minutes.

“For someone who smokes a pack of 20 cigarettes a day, 20 cigarettes at 20 minutes per cigarette works out to be almost seven hours of life lost per pack,” said Dr. Sarah Jackson, principal research fellow at UCL and lead author of the study.

“The time they’re losing is time that they could be spending with their loved ones in fairly good health,” she added.

The study also concludes that smoking deprives individuals of their prime, healthier years in their middle age.

This research, commissioned by the UK’s Department for Health and Social Care, draws from two major studies: the British Doctors Study (men) and the Million Women Study (women).

Both studies reveal that lifelong smokers lose roughly 10 years of life compared to nonsmokers. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also states that smokers lose a decade on average in their own separate reports life expectancy.

‘For someone who smokes a pack of 20 cigarettes a day, 20 cigarettes at 20 minutes per cigarette works out to be almost seven hours of life lost per pack.’

Quitting smoking can help reverse some of the damage over time, but how much life expectancy is regained depends on when you quit. “People who quit in their 20s or early 30s tend to have a life expectancy similar to those who have never smoked,” Dr Jackson continues. “As you get older, you progressively lose a little bit more that you can’t regain.”

But no matter your age, quitting will always be beneficial.

“No matter how old you are when you quit, you will always have a longer life expectancy than if you had continued to smoke,” Dr Jackson said.

For those considering giving up smoking in 2025, the impact can be immediate. Someone who quits smoking 10 cigarettes a day could prevent the loss of a full day of life by January 8, a full week by February 20, and even a full month by August 5.

By the end of the year, quitting could save around 50 days of life expectancy.

While smoking rates have been steadily declining since the 1960s, it remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the US with over 480,000 deaths annually.

However, if you quit before the age of 40, the CDC suggests you can reduce the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by up to 90 per cent.

If you quit before the age of 40, the US CDC suggests you can reduce the risk of dying from smoking-related diseases by up to 90 per cent.

In January 2024, the federal government announced a $188.5 million crackdown on black market tobacco, with the bulk of the funds being used to stop illegal imports from reaching Australia.

It comes as a new study revealed alarming amount of vapers will transition to tobacco smoking putting the Australian health system under massive strain.

The research from medical research institute QIMR Berghofer estimated 13 per cent of vapers who have never smoked before will start smoking tobacco – potentially costing Australia more than $180 million extra per year.

beautiful young woman breaks a cigarette as a gesture for quit smoking Picture: istock

Originally published as University College London study reveals smokers ‘losing seven hours of their life’ from each pack of cigarettes