Smoking Death Risk Appears to Be Rising—Study Finds a Surprising Reason
While the rates of tobacco use are dropping, the risk of a smoker dying from a smoking-related disease appears to be rising.
A new study has found that the risk of death associated with smoking may be increasing, despite overall cigarette smoking rates decreasing in the United States. Researchers from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) analyzed data from 1987 to 2013 and discovered a nearly 50% increase in mortality linked to smoking. However, they believe this rise is due to changes in the age distribution of smokers, rather than smoking itself becoming more harmful.
The study controlled for age and found that mortality associated with smoking has not changed significantly at any given age over the past several decades. The researchers suggest that as the population ages, older smokers are becoming more prevalent, making it appear as though smoking risks are rising, even though age-specific risks have remained stable.
The study's lead researcher, Ralph Lawton, emphasized that smoking remains a leading modifiable cause of death, but the findings highlight the need to account for demographic shifts when estimating smoking's impact on mortality.
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