Time to First Cigarette after Waking Linked to Increased Risk of Smoking-Related Cancers, Studies Find

August, 2011

Two studies recently published in the journal Cancer suggest that—in comparison to individuals who wait over an hour to smoke after waking—smokers who have their first cigarette within an hour of waking have an increased risk of developing lung and head and neck cancers. Specifically, these studies found that smokers who had their first cigarette within 30 minutes of waking had a 79% increased risk of developing lung cancer and a 59% increased risk of developing head and neck cancer in comparison to those who waited at least an hour to smoke. Those who had their first cigarette between 31 and 60 minutes of waking were found to have a 31% increased risk for developing lung cancer and a 42% increased risk  for developing head and neck cancer relative to those who waited at least an hour to smoke.