Study reveals smoking risk

People who smoke socially are more than twice as likely to die of lung disease and more than eight times as likely to die of lung cancer than non-smokers, a study suggests.

The research, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress, shows that the risk of lung cancer death for “social smokers” – those who smoke fewer than ten cigarettes per day – is not substantially lower than those who smoke more than 20 a day. Researchers said their 17-year-long study suggests that cutting down is no substitute for quitting.

There search was by Dr Pallavi Balte and Dr Elizabeth Oelsner, at Columbia University Irving Medical Centre in New York.

Dr B al te said :“You might think that if you only smoke a few cigarettes a day you are avoiding most of the risk. But our findings suggest that social smoking is disproportionately harmful .”