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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Does Smoking A Cigarette A Day Lead To Cancer?

Sir i am 18 years old and i started smoking when i was 16and a half(abt 6-7 a day),but past a year i have reduced my consumption,say a cig in a day or two,and may times in a week.i am not addicted to it honestly speaking.do i have a chance of developing some fatal disease,say cancer?
Wed, 10 Sep 2014
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Addiction Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Yes.
The risk is DIRECTLY proportional to the number of cigarettes. and because the breakdown of nicotine (cotinin) is not naturally present in the body, stays around for hours after smoking and can be easily and precisely measured, we can get a measure of how much one is exposed to smoke and directly relate that to the rate of cancer. It is there, but the risk is quite small (maybe 1% lifetime), it is just very precisely calculable.
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Does Smoking A Cigarette A Day Lead To Cancer?

Yes. The risk is DIRECTLY proportional to the number of cigarettes. and because the breakdown of nicotine (cotinin) is not naturally present in the body, stays around for hours after smoking and can be easily and precisely measured, we can get a measure of how much one is exposed to smoke and directly relate that to the rate of cancer. It is there, but the risk is quite small (maybe 1% lifetime), it is just very precisely calculable.