Light smoking, heavy consequences: What smokers need to know

Smoking the occasional cigarette might be putting you at risk for future health problems.  

That’s according to a new study published in PLOS Medicine. It found that smoking as few as two cigarettes a day could increase your chance of heart disease by 50%. The results came from analyzing the smoking habits of more than 300,000 adults over the course of 20 years. The study noted that former smokers also had an increased risk of heart disease even 20 years after quitting. 

“The harmful effects of smoking are widely known and studied,” says Dr. Kevin Koo, an internal medicine provider at Advocate Health Care. “This research confirms that any amount of smoking can adversely affect your long-term health.” 

The harmful effects of smoking 

The American Lung Association found that adult smoking has decreased about 70%; however, it also discovered an 85% increase in the number of people smoking less than 15 cigarettes a day.  

“Unfortunately, any amount of smoking is going to affect your health,” says Dr. Koo. “Even after quitting, it’ll take your body time to recover and return back to a normal level of someone who never smoked.” 

The effects of cigarettes on the body are well documented in many studies across the years. Smoking not only leads to heart disease, but also other health complications, including: 

• Lung cancer 
• High triglycerides 
• Lower good cholesterol (HDL) 
• Increased blood clotting 
• Thickening and narrowing of blood vessels 
• Stroke 
• Coronary heart disease (CHD) 
• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) 
• Atherosclerosis 

Quitting smoking

The study also pointed out that quitting smoking is most beneficial for your body the first 10 years, arguing for people to completely quit smoking to benefit their bodies long term or, better yet, never smoking to begin with.  

“Quitting smoking is hard, but we push for it when counseling patients,” says Dr. Koo. “We recommend quitting as soon as possible since cessation lowers your risk for heart disease immediately and significantly.” 

If you’re struggling with smoking, Dr. Koo recommends working with your health care provider to come up with an individualized plan that works for you.  

Want to learn more about your risk for heart disease? Take a free online quiz.