‘In My 20s, I Smoked 2 Packs a Day’ – How Actress Michelle Pfeiffer, 65, Kicked Her Smoking Habit To Improve Her Health

“I haven’t always been healthy. When I was in my 20s, I smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. I lived on Marlboro Lights and Coca-Cola,” Pfieffer told Hello Magazine.

Her smoking habit was her vice. She admitted that she enjoyed portraying on-screen roles that also smoked cigarettes.

“I quit smoking years ago, yet it’s always such a joy to pick up again. I have always liked it, but the cigarettes I use do not contain nicotine or tar and are not addictive,” Pfeiffer explained to the Italian outlet IO Donna.

 

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Since quitting cigarettes, Pfeiffer has embraced living a healthier lifestyle, which includes regular exercise.

“Me warming up for my workout. It’s a must, but who hates working out as much as I do?!?” Pfeiffer wrote in an Instagram post.

It’s satisfying to see such a talented actress and person like Michelle Pfeiffer trade in her smoking habit for a healthier lifestyle that brings her many benefits, including reduced cancer risk.

Smoking and Cancer Risk

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the United States. Nonsmokers still get lung cancer, but cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for the disease. Tobacco smoke contains a mixture of more than 7,000 different chemicals, at least 70 of which are known to cause cancer, the CDC says.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says cigarette smoking is linked to about 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths, and people who smoke cigarettes are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who don’t smoke. Additionally, second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer.

Smoking is, of course, the primary cause of lung cancer, but nonsmokers can and do develop this disease. Researchers have made progress in understanding the differences between lung cancer in smokers versus nonsmokers, says Dr. Ronald Natale, a medical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and they’re developing targeted treatments that will be able to address the genetic drivers of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

“Among patients who are nonsmokers, or former very light smokers, we identify a mutation that we can target with pills in about 60% to 70% of them. That leaves 30% or so, 40%, in whom we either have a target for which we do not have successful treatment,” Dr. Ronald Natale, a medical oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet.

“Among patients who are smokers, who have more complex cancers that have hundreds, sometimes thousands of mutations, don’t have a driver mutation that we can give a pill for, which is only a tiny percentage of lifelong smokers. Chemotherapy is the primary treatment in most patients,” Dr. Natale explains further.

WATCH: Does smoking marijuana pose health risks?

New research published in Cancer Journal for Clinicians suggests that although the number of cancer cases is expected to rise, by eliminating tobacco use, millions could significantly reduce their cancer risks.

According to researchers, the number of annual cancer diagnoses will jump from roughly 20 million today to 35 million by 2050. The figure puts added pressure on cancer awareness advocates and healthcare practitioners because some of these cancer cases are preventable, according to experts.

“[Eliminating] tobacco use alone could prevent 1 in 4 cancer deaths or approximately 2.6 million cancer deaths annually,” said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance & health equity science at the American Cancer Society and senior author of the study.

Tobacco, more specifically smoking cigarettes, is a significant risk factor for lung cancer, which is “the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death overall and in men worldwide,” the American Cancer Society says.

Guidelines for Lung Cancer Screening

Guidelines set by the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend yearly lung cancer screening for people who “smoke or formerly smoked and have a 20-year or greater pack-year history,” an ACS press release says.

RELATED: Smoking Doesn’t Just Cause Lung Cancer. It’s the Top Risk Factor For Bladder Cancer. Here’s How to Quit.

“This updated guideline continues a trend of expanding eligibility for lung cancer screening, which will result in many more deaths prevented by expanding the eligibility criteria for screening to detect lung cancer early,” said Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice president of early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the lung cancer screening guideline report.

WATCH: Detecting lung cancer in the absence of symptoms.

Strategies to Help Smokers Curb Their Tobacco Habit

• Nicotine replacement therapy. Long-acting therapies like nicotine patches can be paired with short-acting therapies (including nicotine gum, lozenges, nasal spray, and inhalers) to cope with intense cravings.
• Steer clear of triggers. Cravings can be provoked by situations in which you are used to having tobacco.
• Wait. If you feel yourself on the brink of giving in to a tobacco craving, delay smoking for 10 minutes and do something else to distract yourself. Move to a no-smoking area to make it less convenient for you to smoke.
• Chew something. Whether it’s gum, candy, or vegetables, chew something that will occupy your mouth as you resist your cravings.
• Don’t give in to the “just one more” mentality. Smoking once can easily lead to smoking again.
• Exercise more. Boosting your physical activity can distract you from tobacco cravings and make them less intense. Exercise can mean many different things, but even short periods of physical activity can help.
• Try relaxation techniques. Techniques like deep breathing, yoga, visualization, muscle relaxation, and massage can help you relax and relieve stress.
• Reach out for support. You are establishing robust support systems. Calling a friend or family member to talk on the phone or go for a walk can help remind you that you’re not alone.
• Remind yourself why you want to quit. Whether your goal is to feel better, get healthier, save money, or prepare for cancer treatment, it can help to write down or speak aloud the reason you decided to quit in the first place.

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