Dying for a smoke?

Research from the World Health Organisation shows that somebody dies from tobacco use every 6.5 seconds. 

It's also been established that people who start smoking in their teens (as more than 70% of smokers do) and continue for two decades or more, will die 20 to 25 years earlier than those who never light up. 

Most smokers will be aware of the links between smoking and cancer, but some of the less publicised side effects of lighting up can also include cataracts, hearing loss, tooth decay, stomach ulcers, miscarriage and infertility.

The vast majority of smokers would like to kick the habit, but the highly-addictive nature of nicotine means that once you're hooked, it's very difficult to quit. 

And if you do try to stop, because your body is no longer getting the nicotine it craves, you may suffer withdrawal symptoms including feeling irritable, difficulty in concentrating, sleep disruption and headaches.

But the one key factor that you can never lose sight of is that it's never too late to stop smoking (or too early to try to quit). Even people who have smoked all their lives will improve their health by stopping smoking.