All articles tagged with #smoking
A HuffPost Style & Beauty piece highlights five signs your skin is aging well: quick wound healing, consistently smooth and hydrated texture, preserved facial volume indicating healthy collagen, minimal discoloration from sun exposure and blue light, and never smoking; it also notes that sleep, exercise and stress influence how skin ages.
A health report suggests that about 50% of cancers that could be prevented are linked to two modifiable lifestyle factors, underscoring the impact of quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight in reducing cancer risk.
A WHO analysis published in Nature Medicine finds about 38% of global cancers in 2022 were preventable by addressing roughly 30 modifiable risk factors. The leading factor is tobacco smoking (responsible for 15% of cancers, 23% in men), with alcohol accounting for roughly 3.2%; together these two factors make up about 48% of preventable cancers. Infections (notably HPV) and air pollution also contribute to cancer risk, while HPV vaccination exists but coverage remains uneven. The study underscores that many cancers could be prevented with sustained political commitment and targeted prevention strategies worldwide.
Experts say the lungs can repair after quitting smoking, improving health, but recovery varies by person and age; some damage or genetic changes may persist, so quitting earlier and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g., exercise) is advised.
Stroke doctors say 80% of strokes are preventable with lifestyle changes and list seven habits to avoid: sedentary living, uncontrolled high blood pressure, skipping regular checkups, smoking, excessive alcohol, a poor diet, and neglecting necessary treatment—plus the importance of rapid stroke care and recognizing FAST symptoms.
Britain’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, backed by Parliament, would bar tobacco sales for anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, in an effort to create a smoke-free generation. The measure also expands powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including flavour and packaging rules and banning nicotine branding from being marketed to children, while extending smoke-free zones and prohibitions on vaping in places like playgrounds, cars with kids, and near schools and hospitals; royal assent is expected soon.
Eye doctors reveal nine everyday habits to avoid for protecting vision: never sleep in contact lenses, take breaks from screens using the 20-20-20 rule, keep up regular eye exams (especially if you have diabetes), don’t ignore sudden vision changes like floaters or flashes, don’t leave makeup on overnight and address under-lubrication, never look at the sun without proper protection, don’t smoke or vape, don’t rinse contacts in tap water, and eat a balanced diet to reduce eye disease risk.
A large US study using cancer registry data from 2015–2022 found never-married adults have higher cancer incidence than ever-married peers across many cancer types, with the strongest excess in HPV-related, smoking-related, and women’s reproductive cancers. The authors caution this does not prove causation and suggest marital status acts as a marker for social and lifestyle factors that influence risk; findings could help target prevention efforts toward never-married populations.
The Conversation argues that while a tobacco-free generation—phasing out cigarette sales for people born after a cutoff—could dramatically reduce preventable deaths, it faces legal, political, and cultural hurdles. Objections include underestimation of smoking risks, tobacco industry tactics, and concerns about personal autonomy. Trials exist (Brookline, Maldives, Massachusetts proposals) with mixed outcomes, including repeals in some places and new bills elsewhere, underscoring that bans are not a silver bullet. Experts emphasize that success depends on combining bans with high prices, plain packaging, advertising and flavored-product restrictions, cessation support, and clear public health messaging to reduce initiation and sustain progress.
U.S. adult smoking rate fell to 9.9% in 2024, the first time it has dropped under 10% in the National Health Interview Survey era, marking a six-decade decline from 42.4% in 1965 thanks to warnings, bans, tax increases, smoke-free laws, FDA oversight, and cessation programs that together saved millions of lives. However, smoking remains concentrated among disadvantaged groups, vaping persists at about 7% of adults, and federal CDC funding cuts threaten future progress. Globally, tobacco kills about 7 million people annually, with the potential to rise to 10 million by 2030.
A long-running study found heavy alcohol, cannabis, and cigarette use in ages 18–30 predict poorer self-reported memory at ages 50–65. Smoking shows a direct, lasting impact on memory, while alcohol and cannabis largely influence memory through later substance-use disorders, highlighting the importance of early prevention for long-term cognitive health.
A North Carolina influencer named Jacob Jones has built a large online following by posting videos of himself smoking cigarettes and drinking throughout the day on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch. His main YouTube channel was demonetized over cigarette content, but he earns income from a smaller channel, Patreon subscriptions, and livestreams. Fans praise his lifestyle as “living the dream,” while critics warn of serious health risks and question the longevity of his model.
A health expert identifies seven common daily habits that accelerate biological aging—smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, insufficient sleep, chronic stress, excess alcohol, and social isolation—and offers low-effort fixes: quit smoking (with a quit date and nicotine support), add one plant-based item and remove one processed item at meals, start with short “movement snacks” and work up to 150 minutes of moderate exercise plus two resistance sessions weekly, keep a consistent sleep schedule with 30–60 minutes of screen-free wind-down, practice about five minutes of daily relaxation, limit alcohol or substitute with non-alcoholic drinks on weekdays, and increase social activity, preferably with movement. Focusing on the high-impact changes—quit smoking, regular sleep, and daily outdoor walks—can slow aging and boost healthspan.
A national NHIS-based study finds smoking among U.S. adults fell to 9.9% in 2024 (about 25 million people), down from 10.8% in 2023—the first single-digit rate on record. If the pace continues, it could help meet the 2030 federal target of 6.1%, but cigar and e-cigarette use haven’t declined, with 18.8% of adults using some tobacco product in 2024 (roughly 47.7 million). The study in NEJM Evidence also calls for a centralized federal tobacco-prevention capacity to sustain progress.
A Nature Medicine study links the majority of preventable cancers to two everyday habits—smoking and alcohol—while also noting roles for obesity, physical inactivity, air pollution, and HPV infection; the findings emphasize actions like quitting smoking, reducing alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight and activity, and HPV vaccination to lower cancer risk globally.