Unlike in the 1960s, a new study shows that in recent times, women who smoke are highly likely to die much faster because of this habit. The cause of the dramatic increase of lung cancer has been blamed on habits such as chain smoking and smoking at an early age.
The trends show that the number of deaths in women in now the same as that of the men. The analysis of data collected from over two million women living in the States show that the pioneer of women smokers began in the 1950s and the 1960s. In those times, women smokers were three times likely to die from cancer related illnesses (lung cancer) as those who never smoked.
Medical records from between the year 2000 and 2010 showed they had 25 percent more likelihood of dying from the illness than their none-smoking counterparts. The trend is the same for men in the 1980s.
Dr. Michael Thun, a lead researcher says that the very high risk among female smokers has been known for decades and despite all the established health risks, women believe that smoking cigarette brands advertised as lower in nicotine and tar will reduce the chance of having lung cancer. These brands have failed in the prevention and in reducing the risk of developing lung cancer since all the diluted smoke is more absorbed into their lungs so as to maintain the normal intake of nicotine.
Research shows that a lifelong smoker (female) dies 10 years earlier than the one who has never smoked. Those who quit smoking before 30 can completely avoid the risk of an early death from cigarette related illnesses with those quitting by the age of 40 dying one year younger. Prof. Richard Sir Peto said that if women were to smoke like their male counterparts, then they would indeed die like them.