- It Really Is Never Too Late to Quit
- If Not for Yourself, Do It for Others
- Correction: Moffitt Seeking Study Participants
It Really Is Never Too Late to Quit
While thousands of Americans have taken the old adage “You’re never too old to quit smoking” to heart, many older Americans continue to smoke. In fact, anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of Americans over age 65 currently smoke.
According to the Center for Social Gerontology at the University of Michigan, today’s generation of older Americans had the highest smoking rate of any U.S. generation, leading to widespread smoking-related deaths.
“It really is never too late to quit smoking,” says David Drobes, PhD, associate director of the Tobacco Research and Intervention Program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. “A lot of older people assume that they’ve smoked for so long, why quit now? The data is clear, whenever you quit, at whatever age, your length and quality of life increase. You can go down the whole list of chronic diseases affected by smoking, and they improve with quitting.”
Medical evidence suggests that a smoker’s health begins to improve only minutes after quitting. After about 20 minutes, blood pressure and pulse rates decrease. After eight hours, carbon monoxide and oxygen levels return to normal. Twenty-four hours after quitting, heart attack risk decreases. Anywhere from two weeks to three months after quitting, circulation improves and lung function increases. Within two years of the last smoke, one’s risk of coronary heart disease decreases by 50 percent, and in 15 years, the risk is similar to that of someone who never smoked.
Smoking increases health risks for seniors. Older smokers, both male and female, are more likely to suffer a stroke. They are 60 percent more likely to have a heart attack and more than twice as likely to die from Alzheimer’s Disease as nonsmokers. Older smokers also are prone to cataracts, which can lead to blindness.
In addition, smoking is responsible for more than 90 percent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) deaths and nearly 90 percent of lung cancers in the U.S. Smoking also is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, a leading killer of people over age 50. Dr. Drobes says many other health conditions are exacerbated by smoking, including osteoporosis, hip fracture, hearing loss and cognitive decline.
And those are just the health effects of smoking. A recent University of Helsinki study found that smoking compromises quality of life in old age, especially for heavy smokers (those who smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day). Those who never smoked lived 10 years longer, the researchers discovered, and enjoyed better quality of life in their later years, while heavy smokers had the physical function of someone 10 years older.
Article courtesy of Moffitt Cancer Center. For more information about advances in the treatment of cancer, second opinions, cancer prevention, screening, clinical trials or support groups, call 1-888-MOFFITT (663-3488). Or visit InsideMoffitt.com and click on “Cancer Answers” to email your questions.
If Not for Yourself, Do It for Others
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar, as well as the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. It is involuntarily inhaled by nonsmokers, lingers in the air hours after cigarettes have been extinguished, and can cause or exacerbate a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections and asthma.
Here are some facts:
- Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke. Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals known to be toxic or carcinogenic, including formaldehyde, benzene, vinyl chloride, arsenic, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide.
- Secondhand smoke causes almost 50,000 deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year, including approximately 3,400 from lung cancer and up to 69,600 from heart disease.
- Secondhand smoke is especially harmful to young children. Secondhand smoke is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age.
In the United States, 21 million, or 35 percent of, children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. Approximately 50-75 percent of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood.
Quitting smoking is the best solution to avoiding sharing dangerous secondhand smoke with others.
*Information and statistics provided by the American Lung Association®.
Use Your FSA Funds
Before It’s Too Late
If you are one of the estimated 3 million participants in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program, you understand the savings potential of putting pre-tax funds into an account for use on medical expenses not covered by insurance. However, your funds may be forfeited if not used by the end of the year.
It’s important to keep in mind that you can use FSA money to pay for a variety of out-of-pocket expenses, including those associated with eye care and eyewear expenses. Money from the FSA can be applied toward your out-of-pocket costs for eye exams, prescription glasses or contact lenses (including upgrades), and supplies such as contact lens solution.
If you haven’t had your annual eye exam, consider taking advantage of your FSA dollars and schedule one before the end of the year. Comprehensive eye exams are important to your health. A comprehensive eye exam allows the doctor to see the early signs of serious health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as the onset of eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. Early diagnosis contributes to successful treatment. If used wisely, FSAs can save you significant money on health-related costs. Just don’t forget about your FSA, or you could end up losing money at the end of your plan year.
Plus, AAA members save 30 percent* on eye exams and complete pair eyewear at LensCrafters, Sears Optical, Pearle Vision and Target Optical. AAA makes it easy for you to take care of your eyes—just show your AAA membership card and save.
Visit AAA.com/SearchForDiscounts to locate a participating location near you.
*Valid AAA membership required. Discount off tag price. Valid on multiple pairs. Frame and lenses purchase with valid prescription required. Cannot be combined with any other offer, previous purchases, or vision and insurance plans. Some restrictions apply. Some brands excluded. See store for details. Void where prohibited. Valid at participating locations. Eye exams available by Independent Doctors of Optometry at or next to LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical and Target Optical. Doctors in some states are employed by the location.
Correction: Moffitt Seeking Study Participants
“Healthy People Sought for Chemoprevention Trials” (Sept./Oct. 2009) contained incorrect information regarding those eligible to enroll in a study for lung cancer prevention in former smokers. Below is the correct criteria.
Who Is Eligible to Enroll?
- Former smokers who have quit smoking over 12 months ago with a long history of smoking
- Must be at least 45 years of age or older
- Male or female in relatively good health
- Ability to take a study drug
For more information or to enroll, contact Moffitt Cancer Center at 1-888-MOFFITT (663-3488).