News: Smoking Less Still Kills You

According to a Norwegian study reported by HealthDay News, those who smoke less than others did not lower the risk of early death due to smoking. Basically what they are saying from this study is that if you smoke, whether it's moderate or heavy, the chances of early death due to smoking is about the same.

To me, this is an important study and I'm glad they made this discovery. Why? Because people have this misconception that smoking a little doesn't affect you as much as those who smoke heavily. SMOKING IS SMOKING. You are inhaling smoke into your lungs...there are no ifs, ands, or butts (pun intended) about it. This should serve as a HUGE warning to those who smoke and care about their lives.

The article also reported that "limiting the daily amount of cigarettes may be useful as a temporary measure when a smoker is trying to quit, but kicking the habit is the only real way of reducing the risk of smoking-related health consequences and early death". I hope those who smoke and are concerned about their health realize this. I'm sure it is very difficult to quit cold turkey (as told by friends who smoke), but you should only be proud if you reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke a day if your goal is to entirely quit. If it isn't, you aren't doing yourself much of a favor. Kick the habit...it just isn't worth it.