Light smoking triples heart disease risk

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Smokers who believe a few cigarettes a day do not do any harm will need to think again.

Norwegian scientists who studied the health records of 43,000 men and women have shown that even light smoking, less than five cigarettes daily, triples the risk of dying of heart disease or lung cancer.

"In both sexes, smoking one to four cigarettes per day was associated with a significantly higher risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease and from all causes, and from lung cancer in women," said Aage Tverdal of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200509/s1465877.htm

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I've never once smoked a cigarette. But I lived with parents who smoked - wonder about second hand smoke?

My mom lived with us for about 5 years and smoked - my kids were little then. She would only smoke in her room but still . . .

I cannot tell you how relieved I am she has her own home now - 5 years of living with a smoker was hard and my husband was a saint to put up with it.

steph