Oxford study: quitting smoking before 35 brings death risk close to never-smokers

LONDON — Researchers at the University of Oxford said long-term studies show that people who quit smoking before age 35 reduce their overall risk of death to a level close to that of people who never smoked. The findings, drawn from extended follow-up research, also indicate that quitting before 44 eliminates about 90% of the excess mortality linked to smoking, while quitting before 54 removes most of the remaining risk of dying from smoking-related cancers. The researchers said the body begins to recover quickly after cessation, with blood pressure, circulation and lung function improving over time and the risks of heart disease and lung cancer falling steadily thereafter. They emphasized that the healthiest option remains never smoking, but that early quitting gives the body a wider window to recover and lowers the chance of premature death. The Oxford team also warned that low-level or so-called "social" smoking is not safe and still raises the risk of lung cancer and other diseases. No further details on the underlying study data were immediately provided in the summary.