No Smoking Day is celebrated on 12th March every year in many countries worldwide. On this day, smokers are reminded about the importance of not smoking for an increased quality and longevity of life. However, many of those who are smokers tend to do so for pleasure and find it hard to stop as their habit quickly becomes a dependency or need of their daily life.

A new study carried out by researchers at the Peninsula Medical School in the south west part of England found that smokers feel less pleasure in life, but commonly have a lower quality of life than that of their non-smoking counterparts. This study should hopefully do much to sway smokers away from their habit and onto a less harmful non-smoking life. Dr. Lain Lang led this research, which evaluated the relationship between pleasurable feelings and smoking among smokers. The researchers measured the quality of life and named it as CASP-19.

Researchers found that smokers are less satisfied with their quality of life than non-smokers. This difference was seen even more so amongst people of lower socio-economic groups, with many of these found to be less happy in life when compared with non-smokers according to the findings of this medical study.

Method of Study

Researchers involved about 9175 people who were 50 years or above in age. These individuals took part in the ELSA (English Longitudinal Study of Aging). Researchers categorized these people as current smokers, ex-smokers, and those who never smoked. Researchers also took into account their household wealth to find out their socio- economic status.

Expert Speak

Lain Lang said, "We found no evidence to support the claim that smoking is associated with pleasure, either in people from lower socio-economic groups or in the general population."

He further said, "People may feel like they’re getting pleasure when they smoke a cigarette but in fact smokers are likely to be less happy overall - the pleasure they feel from having a smoke comes only because they’re addicted. These results show smoking doesn’t make you happy - in fact, it is associated with poorer overall quality of life. Anyone thinking of giving up smoking should understand that quitting will be better for them in terms of their well-being - as well as their physical health - in the long run."