Smokers who quit for a week could save a day of their life, experts say
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Got Money Goals for the New Year? Stay on Track With These TipsMen lose 17 minutes of life with every cigarette they smoke while a woman’s life is cut short by 22 minutes with each cigarette, experts have estimated. This is more than previous estimates, which suggest that each cigarette shortens a smoker’s life by 11 minutes. The new estimates, which suggest that each cigarette leads to 20 minutes loss of live on average across both genders, are based on more up-to-date figures from long-term studies tracking the health of the population. Researchers from University College London said that the harm caused by smoking is “cumulative” and the sooner a person stops smoking, and the more cigarettes they avoid smoking, the longer they live. The new analysis, commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care, suggests that if a 10-cigarettes-a-day smoker quits on January 1, then by January 8 they could “prevent loss of a full day of life”. By February 20, their lives could be extended by a whole week. And if their quitting is successful until August 5, they will likely live for a whole month longer than if they had continued to smoke. The authors added: “Studies suggest that smokers typically lose about the same number of healthy years as they do total years of life. Make 2025 the year you quit smoking for good. There’s lots of free support available to help you. Find out more 🔽 https://t.co/J0ehnoRM1D pic.twitter.com/LQpUp6HJBm — WHH 🏥 (@WHHNHS) December 27, 2024 “Thus smoking primarily eats into the relatively healthy middle years rather than shortening the period at the end of life, which is often marked by chronic illness or disability. “So a 60-year-old smoker will typically have the health profile of a 70-year-old non-smoker.” The analysis, to be published in the Journal of Addiction, concludes: “We estimate that on average, smokers in Britain who do not quit lose approximately 20 minutes of life expectancy for each cigarette they smoke. “This is time that would likely be spent in relatively good health. “Stopping smoking at every age is beneficial but the sooner smokers get off this escalator of death the longer and healthier they can expect their lives to be.” Dr Sarah Jackson, principal research fellow from the UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, said: “It is vital that people understand just how harmful smoking is and how much quitting can improve their health and life expectancy. “The evidence suggests people lose, on average, around 20 minutes of life for each cigarette they smoke. “The sooner a person stops smoking, the longer they live. “Quitting at any age substantially improves health and the benefits start almost immediately. “It’s never too late to make a positive change for your health and there are a range of effective products and treatments that can help smokers quit for good.” There are so many reasons to quit smoking this New Year – for your health, for more money, and for your family. Make a fresh quit for 2025 – find tips and support at https://t.co/GyLk65o8kS or https://t.co/iW6WLxTL00 pic.twitter.com/KxPZ5N378y — North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (@NTeesHpoolNHSFT) December 27, 2024 Health officials have said that smokers can find advice, support and resources with the NHS Quit Smoking app, as well as the online Personal Quit Plan. Public health minister Andrew Gwynne said: “Smoking is an expensive and deadly habit and these findings reveal the shocking reality of this addiction, highlighting how important it is to quit. “The new year offers a perfect chance for smokers to make a new resolution and take that step.” Commenting on the paper, Professor Sanjay Agrawal, special adviser on tobacco at the Royal College of Physicians, said: “Every cigarette smoked costs precious minutes of life, and the cumulative impact is devastating, not only for individuals but also for our healthcare system and economy. “This research is a powerful reminder of the urgent need to address cigarette smoking as the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the UK.”Top five contrarian commodity scenarios for 2025: Russell
In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IaKmZcteb1 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 29, 2024 US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceIrish Government doubted UK campaign to ‘save David’ Trimble
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The best snowboard bindings to raise your game on the slopesElections BC is drawing scrutiny which threatens to undermine taxpayer’s faith in our elections. That’s a problem. Here’s the solution: call a public inquiry into Elections BC, not a politicised process through legislative committees working behind closed doors. There is nothing to suggest the B.C. provincial election was stolen. There is nothing to suggest Elections BC was in cahoots with one party or another. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to turn a blind eye to its mishandling of the most important day in our democratic cycle. In a democracy, taxpayers must have faith in elections and repeated errors from Elections BC erodes that trust. And make no mistake, Elections BC did mess up its handling of the provincial election. The problems with Elections BC range from bad to worse. It took Elections BC more than a week to finish the preliminary tally of votes. Voting closed Oct. 19, but the final count didn’t occur until Oct. 28. British Columbians shouldn’t be left in limbo because Elections BC workers didn’t stay late to count votes. And it shouldn’t take an extra week for the final count to begin. Then came the revelation that Elections BC officials were storing ballots in their personal homes. Think about that for a moment. When you cast your ballot, did you imagine it would find its way into the basement of someone’s home? British Columbians generally believe Elections BC acts in good faith. But why allow questionable chains of custody for the most important pieces of paper in a democracy? Why risk storing ballots in home basements instead of secure government buildings? In three-quarters of B.C.’s 93 ridings, mistakes by Elections B.C. led to unreported votes. That’s unacceptable. To be fair, all the votes were eventually accounted for and counted. But our elections are too important to risk with these kinds of blunders. Both the ruling NDP and Opposition BC Conservatives agree there needs to be an investigation into Elections BC’s mistakes. The NDP wants an all-party committee made up of MLAs to probe Elections BC. But that’s not good enough. Legislative committees are political and are made up of politicians fighting for the spotlight. They can hide behind in camera meetings the public doesn’t have access to. For the public to have faith in our elections, the public needs to be involved in the inquiry. That’s what the BC Conservatives are calling for: an independent public review. British Columbians need to have faith in our elections, so the public must be a part of the investigation. This is far too important an issue for taxpayers to be shunted off to the side while politicians play partisan games. Carson Binda is the B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and reviewed the advancement of the US-India partnership in the four years of the outgoing Biden administration. "Delighted to meet @SecBlinken yesterday [Thursday] evening in Washington D.C. Reviewed the advancement of US-India partnership over the last four years. Agreed that our cooperation has strengthened in many domains, just as our comfort levels have grown correspondingly," Jaishankar said on Friday in a post on X. President Joe Biden is all set to hand over the keys of the Oval Office to Donald Trump on January 20 when the latter would be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Mr. Jaishankar exuded confidence that "India-US relationship will serve our mutual interests as well as global good". Earlier in the day, Mr. Jaishankar met the outgoing National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. “A wide-ranging discussion on the progress of India-US strategic partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments,” Jaishankar said in a post on X on Thursday. Mr. Jaishankar also chaired a conference of the Consul Generals of India in the US, thus becoming the first External Affairs Minister to do so. “A productive day with team Indian Embassy US and our Consul Generals based in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston and Atlanta,” he said. “Discussed opportunities for deepening India U.S. partnership, focusing on technology, trade and investments. Also shared views on better serving the Indian community in the USA,” the minister said in another post on X. Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to the U.S. from December 24 to December 29 during which he is scheduled to meet senior members of the outgoing Biden administration. The External Affairs Minister is also likely to have introductory meetings with the senior leadership of the incoming Trump administration. Published - December 28, 2024 12:05 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit India-United States
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The Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC), India on Sunday proposed the introduction of a "faceless" GST audit system to boost ease of doing business in the country. The apex engineering exports promotion body's proposal comes following the successful implementation of 'faceless assessment' by the Income Tax department. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for "The faceless GST audit system, by using technology and ensuring anonymity, will reduce compliance costs. A faceless system will streamline procedures allowing MSMEs to focus on growth and innovation," said Pankaj Chadha, chairman of EEPC India . The proposal is a part of EEPC India's Budget 2025 recommendation. By introducing a "faceless" GST audit system, India can further improve its ranking in the Ease of Doing Business index, making it a more attractive destination for foreign investors, it said. It also proposed that Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) related liabilities should be eligible for the 'Amnesty Scheme' to address challenges faced by exporters, who may be unaware of foreign bank charges and foreign business services. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 31, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Got Money Goals for the New Year? Stay on Track With These Tips
