The Times (London) 27 May reports some recent research suggesting that the health benefits of giving up smoking (for the current population of smokers) have been over-estimated.
Valerie Lechene (Oxford) and Jerome Adda (University College London) have analysed a large Swedish database and concluded that, even after matching for education and income, smokers are less healthy (independently of smoking) than non-smokers. They are a self-selected group, possibly because they have a greater inclination to risk long-term health for short-term pleasure. It is not stated whether the underlying factors are environmental, genetic, or both.
The research has been presented to a conference, but not yet published.
Similar claims have been made before (e.g. by R. A. Fisher) but often discredited because the researchers were funded by the tobacco industry. This is said not to be the case with Lechene and Adda.
Before lighting up a Gauloise, note that the authors are not claiming there is no health effect, just that it is less than usually claimed, and that it is selective. Someone who has never been strongly tempted to smoke (or who has given up smoking without much difficulty) would shorten their life more by taking up smoking than a tobacco addict would gain by giving it up.
Posted by David B at 03:46 AM