Part-time smokers in denial about triple heart death risk Category: Survival and support

The majority of the nation’s 1.1million part-time and social smokers could be tripling their risk of dying from heart disease, according to new figures we’ve released to encourage smokers to quit on No Smoking Day on 12 March.

The research shows that only a quarter of part-time smokers are worried that their addiction is harming their health despite getting through an average of 37 cigarettes a week. Only one in seven say they feel they’re addicted.

However, smoking just one to four cigarettes a day triples a person’s risk of heart disease, meaning many part-time smokers are putting themselves at severe risk of a tobacco related death.

The research was carried out for us by world leading smoking expert Professor Robert West of University College London. It’s the first major study to look at the myths surrounding non-daily smoking.

Our Associate Medical Director, Dr Mike Knapton, said: “This research shows that many part-time and social smokers are still smoking enough every week to put their lives on the line. We need people to face-up the deadly risk they’re taking from social or part-time smoking.

“We know it’s not easy to quit. But with No Smoking Day around the corner we’re urging people who smoke even just a few cigarettes a week to face up to their addiction and join the million other smokers attempting to quit on March 12.”

Last year our No Smoking Day campaign encouraged a million people to try and quit smoking on the day. This year’s ‘V for Victory’ theme is set to inspire smokers to win the battle against cigarettes for good.

More information

Smokers who want more information and support to help them start a victorious quit attempt can visit our sister site nosmokingday.org.uk or join the conversation on Twitter using #nosmokingday.