Smoking is extremely detrimental for one’s health. It can cause diseases such as lung cancer, bronchitis, and asthma and can significantly reduce your life expectancy. Recently, a study conducted by Dr. Mark Weiser from Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, showed that smokers tend to have lower IQ levels than non-smokers. This furthers the point that smoking is hazardous to health.
New Research proves smokers have a lower IQ
A study conducted by Dr. Mark Weiser found that smokers had an average IQ that was 6.5 points lower than non-smokers. The study, which was published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, involved a total of 2,000 participants with an average age of 34.
The researchers found that smokers had an average IQ of 94.3 compared to 100.8 for non-smokers. The difference was particularly pronounced among men, where the average IQ of smokers was 9.3 points lower than that of non-smokers.
The researchers also found that the IQ difference remained even after adjusting for age, education and other factors. They concluded that smoking is associated with a lower IQ and that this association is independent of other factors.
This study provides evidence that smoking is associated with a lower IQ, although further research is needed to determine whether this is a causal relationship.
Smokers at the receiving end
People indulging in smoking must better quit smoking as this will not only affect the number of years they live, their life at work could also be affected. Quitting smoking can lead to faster and sharper brains and intelligence levels.
Dr. Weiser through his research concluded that smokers had 7.5 points lower IQ levels than non smokers. As many people start smoking in teenage this tremendously affects their brain. They are observed to have lower IQ levels. So Dr. Weiser’s colleagues are developing programs that help teenagers quit smoking.
It was also discovered that children having behavioural issues and mental problems are more likely to smoke in teenage or youth and hence have lower IQ levels. To understand the relationship between smoking and IQ levels better, the research was conducted on Israeli militants.
Therein it was founded that non smokers had 101 IQ level scores and the people who smoked more than one packet daily had 90 as their IQ levels. Militants who smoked one to five cigarettes daily had 98 as their IQ levels. This clearly denoted that the people who did not smoke at all had much higher IQ levels than those who smoked heavily.
Big differences were also observed between the people who smoked more than one packet a day and the ones who smoked lesser. An average intelligence score falls between 84 to 116 points. However few men among them did not smoke at the age of 18 and started smoking after entering the military. Their score was around 97 points mostly, lower than the non smokers. This showed that smoking in adolescence affects the IQ levels in a major way.
Who are Susceptible to smoking ?
The same research was also conducted on many siblings. In the research it was seen that the sibling who smoked had lower IQ levels than the non smoking sibling. The study done by Dr Weiser eventually says that the people with lower IQ levels are more susceptible to smoking than the ones with higher IQ levels and not vice versa.
Hence, non smokers are definitely smarter than smokers as they choose to go the healthy way. Cigarette hampers the fitness level and you are more prone to fatal diseases when you smoke. So, it is better not to smoke and choose the smarter way to keep overall health in order.
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