The age at which a person starts smoking and the time they smoke their first cigarette can indicate whether they are likely to have a long or short life.

Axar.az reports that surgeon and oncologist Mark Gadzian commented on the findings of scientists.

“For those who smoked their first cigarette before the age of 10—which includes many people worldwide—the risk of dying from cancer is 4 times higher than for non-smokers. For those who started smoking at age 21 or older, the risk increases by approximately 2.5 times,” Gadzian stated.

Experts analyzed data from over 400,000 individuals. Over a period of about 18 years, 10,014 people died of cancer. Researchers concluded that lifespan and cancer risk among smokers are directly related to the age at which they began smoking.

The study also found that people who quit smoking between the ages of 15 and 34 were mostly out of the high-risk group. Even long-term smokers aged 55–66 can reduce their risk by quitting immediately, though their risk still remains 1.88 times higher.