Table 5.

Overall mortality among never smokers, ex-smokers, and continuing cigarette smokers in relation to stopping smoking at ages 35-64 (men born 1900-1930 and observed during 1951-2001)

	Annual mortality per 1000 men*(No of deaths)
		Ex-cigarette smokers, by age stopped			Continuing cigarette smokers	Mortality ratio (cigarette smoker v non-smoker)
Age range (years)	Lifelong non-smokers	35-44	45-54	55-64
35-44	1.6† (55)	—	—	—	2.7 (150)	1.6†
45-54	3.8 (145)	5.4† (95)	—	—	8.5 (487)	2.3
55-64	8.4 (290)	9.0 (132)	16.4† (229)	—	21.4 (703)	2.5
65-74	18.6 (528)	22.7 (262)	31.7 (331)	36.4 (250)	50.7 (722)	2.7
75-84	51.7 (666)	53.1 (316)	69.1 (370)	78.9 (299)	112.2 (453)	2.2

Division of the rate by the square root of the number of deaths indicates its standard error.

^*Mean of two five yearly age specific rates.

^†Marked rates are P<0.001, significantly lower than in continuing cigarette smokers (P<0.00001 for all unmarked non-smokers and ex-smoker rates).