New study finds damning evidence of harm from smoking

Cognitive index b (95%CI) Memory index b (95%CI) Executive index b (95%CI)
1998–2001 2004–05 1998–2001 2004–05 1998–2001 2004–05
Continuous predictors model
SBP (mmHg) 0.22 (−0.43,0.01) −0.04 (−0.15, 0.07) 0.16 (−0.29,0.03) −0.04 (−0.12, 0.04) −0.06 (−0.18, 0.06) −0.01 (−0.07, 0.06)
 DBP (mmHg) 0.31 (−0.59,0.03) −0.05 (−0.23, 0.13) 0.20 (−0.38,0.02) 0.00 (−0.14, 0.09) −0.10 (−0.26, 0.06) −0.05 (−0.16, 0.05)
 TC (mmol/l) 0.05 (−0.20, 0.29) −0.04 (−0.21, 0.12) −0.06 (−0.21, 0.10) −0.02 (−0.14, 0.10) 0.13 (−0.01, 0.27) −0.02 (−0.11, 0.08)
 BMI (kg/m2) 0.01 (−0.06, 0.07) −0.01 (−0.05, 0.04) −0.01 (−0.04, 0.04) 0.02 (−0.05,0.01) 0.01 (−0.02, 0.05) 0.01 (−0.01, 0.04)
Categorical predictors model
SBP (mmHg), Ref: <140
 140 to <160 0.07 (−1.00, 1.15) −0.31 (−0.64, 0.03) −0.14 (−0.80, 0.51) 0.24 (−0.46,0.01) 0.27 (−0.33, 0.87) −0.05 (−0.26, 0.16)
 ≥160 1.26 (−2.52,0.01) −0.12 (−0.63, 0.38) 1.16 (−1.94,0.37) −0.07 (−0.42, 0.28) −0.27 (−0.96, 0.42) −0.04 (−0.34, 0.26)
DBP (mmHg), Ref: <80
 80 to <90 −0.01 (−0.67, 0.67) −0.13 (−0.45, 0.20) −0.08 (−0.49, 0.34) −0.03 (−0.25, 0.19) 0.11 (−0.39, 0.61) −0.09 (−0.29, 0.11)
 ≥90 −0.60 (−1.51, 0.31) 0.09 (−0.41, 0.58) −0.45 (−1.03, 0.16) 0.20 (−0.15, 0.54) −0.24 (−0.93, 0.45) −0.07 (−0.36, 0.22)
TC (mmol/l), Ref: <5.2
 5.2<6.20 −0.30 (−0.97, 0.37) 0.22 (−0.17, 0.62) −0.26 (−0.67, 0.15) 0.06 (−0.20, 0.33) −0.13 (−0.52, 0.26) 0.18 (−0.06, 0.42)
 ≥6.2 0.08 (−0.56, 0.73) −0.02 (−0.40, 0.36) −0.21 (−0.61, 0.20) −0.05 (−0.30, 0.20) 0.33 (−0.04, 0.71) 0.02 (−0.21, 0.26)
BMI (kg/m2), Ref: <25
 Overweight (25−29.99) −0.25 (−0.89, 0.38) −0.02 (−0.37, 0.32) −0.29 (−0.68, 0.11) −0.05 (−0.28, 0.19) 0.03 (−0.34, 0.39) 0.02 (−0.23, 0.18)
 Obese (≥30) −0.01 (−0.79, 0.77) 0.04 (−0.40, 0.36) −0.12 (−0.60, 0.37) −0.12 (−0.40, 0.16) 0.15 (−0.29, 0.59) 0.06 (−0.17, 0.28)
Current smoker (yes/no) 1.51 (−2.29,0.74) 0.44 (−0.88,0.01) 0.70 (−1.19,0.21) −0.23 (−0.52, 0.07) 0.87 (−1.31,0.43) 0.29 (−0.55,0.03)

Unstandardised coefficients (b) and confidence intervals (95% CI) for 1998–2001 and 2004–05 vascular risk predictors of cognitive outcomes at 2008–09 follow-up.

From Cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive decline in adults aged 50 and over: a population-based cohort study

The very last row of the table is the damning data on cigarette smoking. The cardiovascular system, in particular the vascular system, the system of veins in our bodies, is so important for our health and integrity. When our veins go bad, everything else goes bad very quickly. This study focuses on cognitive declines, but of course there are declines in all systems in the body.

You can see from this data that smoking is far worse then having a systolic blood pressure above 160, diastolic over 90, or than being overweight. In other words, smoking instantly transports the smoker from whatever condition their body might otherwise be in to being far worse than being excessively overweight and having extremely high blood pressure.

That would make a good anti-cigarette ad – show some person smoking a cigarette with a blood pressure thing on their arm. With each puff they take their body bloats up as if they’re becoming obese and the needle on the gauge goes higher. By the time they finish the cigarette they are like 200 lb. overweight and the needle is off the scale. That is the actual effect the cigarette is having on their body.

When we harm our bodies, we harm the Earth. Since we have only inherited both the Earth and our bodies for this one lifetime, it is our responsibility to take the utmost care of them for the sake of future generations.