Women now die at same rate as men from smoking, study says

Deaths from smoking in women have caught up to the rate of men a new study says.

Researchers at the American Cancer society said that it was a massive failure in prevention that lung cancer rates in women have continued to climb.

The Associated Press said that the research was one of the most comprehensive looks ever at women and smoking with some disheartening results.

It is estimated that 20 percent of US males smoke versus 18 percent of women.

The study also included a number of other findings.

For instance, they found that smokers are three times more likely to die before 80 years-old than non-smokers – 60 percent of those deaths easily attributable to smoking.

Smoking also takes about 10 years off the average lifespan.

Women are also less likely to quit smoking than men.

The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Another study about smoking from Canada this week found that quitting before 40 can mean living nearly as long as those who have never smoked.

“The most important message is that quitting works,” study author Prabhat Jha told CTV News.

“Cessation of smoking at an early age — even up to age 40 — avoids about 90 per cent of the risk of continuing to smoke."

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