will 10 years of light smoking in my youth affect my lifespan?

Question

So, I'm 16 now, started smoking at 15 and plan to absolutely quit after I finish university. I'm smoking on average 3-4 cigs a day. Using 4 as refference, and taking wikipedia's average of 10 minutes of life lost/cigarette, over the 10 years I calculated I'd lose about 3 months of my life. But I'm absolutely sure that I'd either quit or switch to an e-cig(If they're proven safe) after I finish university. I do it because I love the experience and feeling of smoking, not because I'm addicted, sometimes I go days without smoking because I don't feel like it.
So with all the predicted medical advances and at least 60 years of smoke-less life afterward, is there any chance that this would affect my health when I'm old at all? Seriously, 3 months less of laying in a bed doing nothing all day doesn't even sound that bad, but that is based on spreading those cigs over my entire life, wouldn't the free 60 years negate everything?
More of a curiosity than something I really care about.

Answer 1

Absolutely maybe.



There is no hard and fast rule. Typically heavy long term smoking is associated with increased risk of cancer. But you could get it as a light smoker. Or you may smoke more than you think you will, or for longer, or you may end up with some chemical exposure that makes it much worse to smoke. Of you could be distracted lighting up and get hit by a passing car.

Answer 2

Dude, no one quits anywhere near the time they plan to, and you're addicted to smoking, don't kid yourself. You'll be a hell of a lot more addicted after a decade of smoking. Your plan is unreasonable.



And there's no way to predict how it's going to affect you, Wikipedia doesn't know you genetics so it can't calculate your likelihood of cancer or lung or heart disease. Plus you're likely to add additional unhealthy habits as you age, and smokers tend to drink more than nonsmokers, exercise less, and are more likely to take hard drugs. So it's not something isolated, I smoked for X years and did Y amount of damage, it's cumulative damage in combination with other factors, external and internal. You may be able to quit the day you graduate, but can't control your potential for cancerous cell growth.



Quit now, it's just jackass to keep smoking when you could so easily quit at this moment. If not for your health, how bout the expense? You will smoke much, much more than 4 a day, promise, when you're facing 4 midterms and all the other stresses of college you'll find yourself smoking a good deal more. That's a lot of cash you're paying for literally nothing except health issues. The relaxation of smoking comes from being an addict, it does nothing for nonsmokers. So you might as well just be setting money on fire.

Answer 3

the "minutes lost per cigarette" thing is just metaphorical. do you really think that there is a database somewhere with your number of years predetermined into it and someone deduces 10 minutes everytime you smoke a cigarette? that's stupid.

You already did a lot of damage to your body by "light smoking" for a year, and smoking for 10 more years is worse. A cancer may appear when you're 30, even 20 years old, and a pretty scary one too like throat or skin cancer. if you quit right now you will reduce (just reduce) the risk of having cancer, because you probably already have some crazy cells multiplying in your body.

Don't be stupid and quit smoking.

Answer 4

Yes, it might even kill you tomorrow.



But you're stupid for starting in the first place :)



You could smoke for 1 week and get cancer. Or you can smoke for 60 years and never get cancer. It's a gamble you take.





You do it because you think you're cool..... you're addicted get over yourself. You go days with out smoking because you're a child and have to be sneaky.

Answer 5

You may not be addicted - yet.



Nicotine is highly addictive and continuing smoking will certainly result in addiction.



Stop while you can.



There is no safe level of smoking and while it is unlikely it is possible that you have already caused cell mutation that will lead to future cancer.



The longer you continue the more likely this becomes.