Preferences and Antiaging: Smoking Cessation and Antiaging

In the practice of anti-aging medicine, which aims to extend healthy life expectancy and improve the quality of life, “smoking cessation” is the most important first step. In July 2018, the “Revised Health Promotion Act” was enacted, which stipulates indoor smoking bans in public facilities and public transportation. Ahead of this, the Japan Anti-Aging Medical Association declared a “smoking cessation declaration” in 2017. Smoking is considered the single largest risk factor for cancer worldwide, and according to a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the WHO, it is definitively associated with 19 primary cancers, not just lung cancer. Furthermore, it is an established risk factor for many diseases, including ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, awareness of the impact of smoking on health is still insufficient, and further measures are needed to achieve the ultimate goal of Japan’s smoking control, which is “reduction of disease and death.” In this section, we will summarize the knowledge needed to correctly convey the harm of smoking and correct the cognitive distortions that can occur due to withdrawal symptoms, with the aim of guiding smoking cessation in antiaging medical practice.