Cutting back doesn't reduce cancer risk for smokers

If you smoked 40 cigarettes a day, and you cut back to 20, your lungs are twice as healthy -- right?

Wrong. According to researchers, smokers who cut back compensate for their reduced nicotine intake by inhaling more smoke from the cigarettes they do smoke. So, in a group of smokers who smoke the same number of cigarettes every day, those who cut back still have a higher cancer risk than those who have always been light smokers. In fact, studies show a reduction in tobacco consumption by 62% only results in a 27% reduction in cancer risk.

However, if you're trying to quit, don't be discouraged. Cutting back is easier than quitting cold turkey, and, as long as it's a stepping stone toward stopping entirely, it's still a healthy choice.