Deaths Caused by Smoking Exceed Estimates

According to research published in the British Medical Journal, smoking-related mortality is much higher than currently recognized because smoking causes additional fatal diseases that have not yet been identified.

Smoking is held responsible for 5 million deaths worldwide and 100.000 in Türkiye each year. It accounts for %90 of lung cancer deaths, %90 of deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), %35 of all cancer deaths in men, and %15 in women. People starting smoking early lose an average of 20 years of life, and for every year of smoking after age 40, life expectancy falls by 3 months. Cardiovascular disease is an average of 2 times more common in smokers than nonsmokers and ranks first among causes of death. Smoking is also a leading cause of many other lung and digestive diseases. However, all these frightening figures do not reflect the full number of smoking-related deaths, because they consider only deaths from the 21 diseases proven to be caused by smoking. Studies suggest these 21 diseases cannot explain the excess deaths among smokers. Indeed, a recently published study showed other causes beyond established smoking-related causes and mortality exceeding estimates.

The study assessed data from 5 simultaneous studies in people aged 55 and older, with approximately 950.000 participants (420.000 women and 530.000 men), according to smoking and mortality, and followed them for 11 years. During follow-up, all-cause mortality was 2-3 times higher in smokers than never-smokers, and 16.000 smokers died. Of this excess mortality, %83 was from diseases known to be caused by smoking. However, a substantial %17 resulted from causes not yet established as smoking-related.

In conclusion, smoking and the diseases it causes are leading causes of death worldwide. However, smoking-related mortality is much higher than currently recognized. This indicates that smoking causes additional fatal diseases, requiring further studies to identify them. Nevertheless, smoking clearly causes serious disease and losses of life, lifespan, and quality of life. Preventing young people from starting and supporting smokers to quit may alone prevent many diseases. No age is too late to quit. In people quitting before age 50, the risk of death from smoking-related diseases over the next 15 years decreases by %50, while quitting before 35 almost eliminates the risk of premature death. Medical and motivational methods developed in recent years also make quitting easier.

The most important stage in quitting smoking is deciding to do so.

Make this decision now for your health, family, and loved ones, and take a step toward a healthier life.

For support, you can call the Ministry of Health ALO 171 Smoking Cessation Counseling Line or visit Smoking Cessation Clinics.