Even Light Smoking Triples Heart Risk

Even light smokers are at increased risk of developing heart disease, a new study shows. Researchers from Norway have brought solid evidence against the myth according to which smoking one or two cigarettes a day is not harmful to health. The truth is that even one cigarette a day increases the chances for developing cardiovascular disease or lung cancer.

Researchers monitored the smoking habits of 43,000 people, in a 30-year study (mid 70's to 2002). Overall, those who smoked one to four cigarettes a day had a 50% increased risk of dying from any cause, as compared to those who never smoked. As for heart disease, light smokers were found to be three times more likely to develop coronary artery disease than non-smokers.

Previous studies had shown that, although smoking has only long-term impact on lung health, it does affect blood immediately; tobacco toxins increase the tendency of platelets to aggregate, laboratory evidence suggests, and thus, and the risk of thrombosis (formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel) increases as well.

Researchers found the steepest increase in the risk of heart problems within this category - of light smokers. Among the participants who smoked more than four cigarettes a day, the level of risk rose more slowly.

Also, light smoking has a greater impact on women than on men, particularly as far as lung cancer is concerned. Men who smoked 1-4 cigarettes a day were at a three times greater risk of developing lung cancer, while women who were light smokers presented a fivefold risk.

Passive smoking presents similar cardiovascular risks to light smoking, the results of the study show. A non-smoker living with a person who is a heavy smoker has 1/3 of the risk of that person, even if he/she inhales only approximately 1% of the smoke (the equivalent of 1 cigarette every 5 days).

Dr. Bjartveit, of the National Health Screening Service, in Oslo, who led the research published in the medical journal "Tobacco Control", advises: "[...]smoking control policymakers and health educators should emphasize more strongly that light smokers also endanger their health."

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