Latest Study: Traditional Tobacco Death Rate Has Been Underestimated, Half of Smokers Will Die from

According to a report from the French newspaper Le Figaro on March 2, a recent study shows a close link between smoking and 15 fatal diseases, which may prompt officials to reassess tobacco, leading to updated statistics on tobacco-related illnesses.

In February 2015, there was a mixed message. The good news is that the total consumption of tobacco in France has decreased. Indeed, in 2014, although tobacco consumption fell by 0.9%, this did not prevent France from maintaining its position as one of the largest tobacco-consuming countries among all Western nations. The proportion of daily smokers in France is 28%, compared to only 20% in the UK. The bad news is that the previously official statistic for tobacco-related mortality was 17%, but this has been confirmed to be outdated, as the actual mortality rate from tobacco is much higher. The latest research published in the New England Journal of Medicine has identified 15 diseases associated with premature death related to tobacco, in addition to the previously known 21 conditions. For instance, smokers are twice as likely to die from kidney failure compared to non-smokers, and the risk of intestinal ischemia (intestinal vascular blockage) increases sixfold. The likelihood of smokers developing breast cancer increases by 30%, and prostate cancer by 43%.

This study collected information from nearly one million people as a research sample. The study was initiated by Dr. Brian Carter from the American Cancer Society, and researchers stated: "Such a large-scale study allows us to identify the causes of death from rare diseases."

The latest findings indicate that diseases related to smoking share a common inflammatory mechanism, as tobacco exacerbates conditions related to blood vessels or thrombosis. For example, tobacco can worsen diseases like intestinal ischemia and certain cardiovascular diseases, leading to atherosclerosis.

“Half of smokers will die from smoking”

The pathological phenomenon linking lung cancer to smoking is quite common (90% of patients are smokers or have been...), but many other serious diseases are also related to smoking, and this has been scientifically confirmed long ago: cancers of the ear, nose, and throat, esophageal cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, stroke...

Daniel Thomas, a spokesperson for the French Smoking Cessation Association, stated: "Smokers have an average lifespan that is 10 years shorter than non-smokers." This study also confirms that quitting smoking at any age is beneficial for health. We can always benefit from quitting smoking; if a smoker chooses to quit at the age of 30, the lifespan lost due to smoking will be restored, meaning their life expectancy will be the same as that of non-smokers.

The New England Journal of Medicine also published some new data, estimating that about 437,000 people in the United States are victims of tobacco each year, and this number has now increased to 600,000. What about in France? Epidemiologist Catherine from Gustave-Roussy Institute stated: "The official statistics on tobacco victims from 2010 are outdated, and we must update them. It is estimated that currently, 78,000 people die from tobacco in France. However, this study also confirms that the number of tobacco victims in France will increase by 15%." Experts emphasize that "at this stage, the difference between 78,000 and 90,000 may not be very significant, but we must pay close attention to this increase. It has been proven that half of smokers will die from tobacco." (Internship translation: Wu Pingxi)