iStock/ThinkstockBy DR. JENNIFER ASHTON, ABC News Senior Medical Contributor
Frank and Claire Underwood share one cigarette each night in the show The House of Cards. But if they think one is better than a pack, they could be wrong.
The National Cancer Institute conducted a prospective study in which it followed almost 300,000 patients for a period of six years and recorded their self-reported lifetime smoking habits before they were even 15 years old. It found that those who smoked less than one cigarette a day had a 64 percent higher risk of early death and nine times the risk of dying from lung cancer compared to non-smokers.
It’s important to remember that it’s not just direct smoking that’s dangerous. Second hand smoke is risky too. So if you or someone you know is a smoker, talk to a doctor about help quitting. It’s the single most important thing you can do for your help.
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