There’s no such thing as a good cigarette!

Forget the idea that smoking a cigarette from time to time is ok. Even occasional smokers are putting themselves at risk, particularly of cardiovascular problems.

Smoking can in fact very rapidly affect the physiology of the artery walls and contribute to the early onset of atherosclerosis, leading to the formation of atheromatous plaques and the risk of myocardial infarction.

An American study published in the French journal Tabac Actualités has recently shown this. Two groups were formed and studied, each consisting of 6 men and 3 women, aged between 20 and 26, and all in good health. The first comprised nine members who had never smoked and acted as a control group. The second group of 9 were all occasional smokers, ie they had been smoking less than one packet of cigarettes per week for at least a year.

The researchers found that the arteries of those who smoked showed signs of obstruction, and this was after smoking only two cigarettes per day. These results suggest that the atherosclerotic process is encouraged by even episodic intoxication, explains Dr Claire Vesin of the AHT cardiovascular prevention and therapy unit of the l’Hôtel Dieu de Paris hospital. Even one or two cigarettes consumed in particular circumstances, at a party for example, can have a real impact on health. And we need to get this new message out there!