A Suffolk doctor warns that smoking is putting additional pressure on the NHS
He said around 100,000 deaths in the UK are caused by smoking
A Suffolk respiratory specialist is warning everyone about the risks of smoking and vaping, saying the habits can have a lasting impact on lung development and long-term health.
Dr Pulimood Thomas, a respiratory physician who works primarily at West Suffolk Hospital and also across Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Royal Papworth Hospital, said lungs continue developing until around the age of 25.
He warned that smoking during that period can reduce how well lungs develop.
“Your lungs are in a course of development from when you were a baby right up to the age of about 25,” he said.
“It’s very important to avoid smoking during that stage because your cells and the body are in a constant state of change and growing.
“If you smoke during that period, the chances of you reaching your top lung health maturity is going to decrease.”
Dr Thomas said smoking at a young age can increase the likelihood of serious illness later in life, including lung cancer.
However, he said, stopping smoking early can significantly improve long-term health outcomes.
“If you were to stop smoking before the age of 35 or 40, the health benefits are huge over a lifetime,” he said.
“It might add up to ten years to your entire life if you were to stop smoking before the age of 40.”
Dr Thomas also warned that smoking during pregnancy can harm unborn babies and said specialist services are available to help people quit.
Impact on NHS
He also said smoking-related illnesses place a significant burden on healthcare services, contributing to hospital admissions for conditions such as lung disease, heart disease and cancer.
Health professionals regularly treat patients whose illnesses are directly linked to smoking, which adds additional pressure on already stretched NHS services.
"The evidence would suggest that about 100,000 deaths in the UK account is a result of cigarette smoking and about 18% of all deaths. 27% in men and about 11% in women is attributable to cigarette smoking.
"And it's also the leading factor for premature disease and deaths in the UK. So it's really important to remember that smoking is extremely harmful...Also, in terms of respiratory health as well. It's quite an expensive process for the NHS. So smoking accounts for about 2.2 billion in terms of expenses for the NHS."
Quitting
He encouraged people who want to stop smoking to seek support from services such as Feel Good Suffolk, which offers advice and cessation support, including behavioural therapies and nicotine replacement products.
He said: “They can give you a combination of talking therapies and various smoking cessation aids like chewing gum and patches.”
Vaping
The respiratory physician also addressed the growing popularity of vaping, particularly among younger people.
“Speaking about vaping and young patients and the young population, it's really important to remember that vaping can also be harmful for those who start vaping thinking that it's less harmful than cigarettes,” he said.
“We have found that people start vaping and then, unfortunately, transition to smoking cigarettes, which are extremely harmful to health.”
He added that while cigarette smoking is widely recognised as more harmful than vaping, people who do not smoke or vape should avoid starting either habit.
“If you don't vape or don't smoke, ideally you shouldn't ever start vaping or smoking because both are harmful to health,” he said.
Dr Thomas said research into the long-term health effects of vaping is still developing.
“The evidence base for the harm from vaping is still evolving and the long-term effects will only become clear with research over time,” he said.
He also warned that vaping devices can carry safety risks because of their batteries, including a potential fire hazard.
Despite the risks, he said it is important to remember that quitting smoking can improve health outcomes at any stage of life.
“Stopping smoking at any age in your life or any stage in your disease process is very important,” he said.
“Even for patients who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer… you do much, much better if you stop smoking straight away.”