Wednesday 19 August 2026
Fresh has teamed up with our trust to raise awareness of the findings and remind people that there has never been more support available to help them quit smoking.
The study, published in medical journal Neurology, found that three key heath factors – not smoking, having normal blood pressure and not having type 2 diabetes – were linked to an average of nearly 13 additional years of life free from dementia. (1)
It’s never too late to quit
The good news is that it is never too late to quit smoking. There are more free and effective ways to quit than ever before – no matter how long you have smoked, how many cigarettes you smoke or how many times you have tried to quit. There are friendly local stop smoking services, quitting aids and medications to ease cravings and boost success, and the free Smoke Free app offering 24/7 support with stop smoking advisers.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Director of Fresh and Balance, said: “Most people know smoking causes cancer and heart disease, but fewer realise it can also increase the risk of dementia.
"This latest study is an important reminder that looking after your brain starts much earlier than many people think. Smoking is an addiction – but quitting becomes more important from our forties onwards.
“Quitting is also about our short-term mental health – the benefits start almost immediately, and you can also feel calmer and happier within weeks.”
Reduce the risk of dementia
Prof Mani Santhana Krishnan FRCPsych, our trust’s consultant in old age psychiatry and specialty clinical director for mental health services for older people, said: “The poisons in tobacco smoke can increase the risk of both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia – the more someone smokes, the higher the dementia risk.
“As more people reach older age, taking care of ourselves becomes more important – and especially taking these steps in middle age – quitting smoking, keeping active, eating a healthy diet and drinking less alcohol – can all help reduce the risk of dementia.”
Alzheimer’s Society outline the main ways smoking impacts people’s risk of dementia:
- Smoking increases the risk of vascular problems (heart and blood vessels), including strokes or bleeds in the brain, which are risk factors for many types of dementia. (2)
- Poisonous chemicals in cigarette smoke cause inflammation and stress to cells and kill off brain cells and neurons, linked to the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. (2)
- Research now suggests that 14% of dementia cases worldwide may be caused by smoking. (2)
The study followed more than 12,000 adults over decades and found smoking was among the strongest modifiable factors associated with dementia-free years in later life. It adds to a growing body of evidence showing that smoking does not just damage the heart and lungs but can also affect brain health.
For advice and support to quit smoking, visit www.freshquit.co.uk.
References
- 1 – Midlife Vascular Risk Burden and Dementia-Free Survival Years (Neurology Open Access)
- 2 – Smoking and the risk of dementia (Alzheimer’s Society)
