Life Expectancy Regained
+9.1 yrs
vs. continuing smoker
Excess Risk Avoided
89.4%
avoided excess mortality
Survival to Age 80
66.8%
vs 38.0% current
Residual Life Loss
0.9 yrs
relative to never-smoker
Cohort Survival Trajectories (Ages 25–90)
Never Smoker
Quit at Age 35
Current Continuous Smoker
Landmark Epidemiological Findings (Jha et al., NEJM 2013; Doll et al., BMJ 2004)
Smokers lose an average of 10 years of life compared to never-smokers. Quitting before age 40 reduces the excess risk of death by approximately 90%, regaining ~9 years of life expectancy. Quitting at ages 45–54 regains ~6 years, and quitting at ages 55–64 regains ~4 years. Even at older ages, immediate cessation confers statistically significant survival advantages.
Comparative Cohort Milestones Table
| Cessation Age Bracket | Life Expectancy Regained | Excess Risk Avoided | Survival to Age 70 | Survival to Age 80 |
|---|