This here is for smokers only

This here is for smokers only (Photo: iStock)

Cigarette smoking remains a major cause of premature deaths worldwide. This is despite all the global anti-smoking efforts, which nevertheless have continued to gain traction.

In the Western world, about a quarter of deaths among middle-aged adults are attributed to smoking. The figures are hard to come by where we live, but with the observed high rates of smokers among young adults, we aren't any better. A recently published study on the benefits of quitting smoking should be of interest to current smokers.