Smoking in teenage years can lead to higher heart attack risk, early death

A new study shows that starting smoking in your teens can raise your risk of heart disease for life—even if you quit later (Image: Pexels)

• Smoking before 20 increases heart attack, stroke, and early death risk.
• Early smoking causes deeper cardiovascular harm than starting later
• Focus heart disease prevention on teens and young adults.

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Smoking has long been a villain in the story of global public health, blamed for millions of deaths and countless diseases worldwide. Even though as tobacco use has declined in some regions, it stubbornly persists, particularly among teens and young adults. What hasn’t been fully understood, until now, is exactly how the age you first light up might reshape your health decades later.

In a nationwide analysis published in Scientific Reports, Korean researchers have probed this very question using health screening and medical records from nearly ten million adults. Their conclusion suggests that starting to smoke at an earlier age doesn’t just increase your lifetime exposure, it appears to accelerate the harm your body feels from it.

Also Read: 6 health risks of smoking: It harms your heart, damages your bones, robs your skin's glow

Here’s what the study reveals

Early smokers pay a heavier price

Starting under age 20 puts you at a significantly raised risk of heart attack, stroke and death, more than if you begin smoking later.

Adolescence and habits

Biological and behavioural factors in youth seem to amplify the harm of smoking, creating deeper cardiovascular damage over time.

Risk isn’t just about total cigarettes smoked

Even when total lifetime smoking is the same, starting younger adds extra danger compared with starting later.

Young adult initiation is still dangerous

Risks remain high even for those who begin in their early twenties, not just teenage smokers.

Prevention must target youth and young adults

The findings reinforce that stopping smoking before it starts, especially among the young, could save lives and reduce the burden of heart disease at the population level.

Also Read: Health benefits of quitting smoking: Give your lungs a chance to repair, heal the heart, improve circulation

People who took up smoking in their teens or early twenties face a lifetime of added risk for heart disease, stroke and premature death compared with those who began later, even after accounting for total smoking exposure. In practical terms, delaying or preventing smoking initiation could translate into tens of thousands fewer cardiovascular events and early deaths in future generations.

FAQs smoking in teenage and higher heart risks

Why is smoking in teenage years particularly harmful?

Smoking during teenage years increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and early death more than starting later in life due to biological and behavioural factors that amplify the damage to cardiovascular health.

Does starting smoking at a young age affect overall lifetime risk?

Yes, starting to smoke at a young age increases the overall lifetime risk of cardiovascular diseases and complications, regardless of the total amount of cigarettes smoked over time.

Are young adults who start smoking also at risk?

Yes, young adults who begin smoking in their early twenties still face high risks for heart disease and other health issues, emphasizing the need for prevention efforts targeting this age group.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.