"Quitting Smoking Before 40: The Key to Healthier Living"
A meta-analysis of four national cohort studies found that smoking cessation before age 40 can reduce overall mortality by 90% compared to those who continue smoking. The study, which followed 1.48 million adults for 15 years, revealed that quitting before 40 brings overall mortality back to nonsmoker levels within three years, with the benefit increasing with longer cessation periods. Even older smokers can experience tangible benefits from quitting, with a minimum of three years of cessation sufficient to gain years of life. The findings underscore the importance of encouraging smokers to quit, emphasizing that it's never too late to benefit from smoking cessation.