Study: Smokers are dumber

Looking for a new reason to quit smoking?
If the hacking, coughing, wheezing and bad breath aren't enough... if the increased risk of lung cancer won't do it... and if the higher likelihood of a stroke can't get you to quit, maybe this latest reason will: Smokers simply aren't as smart--and not just because they've made a unwise health decision.

A new study finds that nicotine fiends suffer from lower intelligence.

Israeli researchers looked at data on 20,000 men between the ages of 18 and 21 before, during and after their military service. And they found that the smokers among them had an average IQ of 94... versus 101 for the nonsmokers.

The average range for healthy mean in that age group, meanwhile, is between 84 and 116, so it's the difference between being right in the middle and being much closer to the low end.

And the more you smoke, the more it seems to hurt: Men who puffed away at a pack or more a day had an average IQ of 90, according to the study published in the journal Addiction.

In other words, smoking won't just shrink penises (you can look it up, it's true!)... it will also shrink your intelligence.

The researchers say that while many people assume that smokers are more likely to come from rougher backgrounds and may have lower intelligence to begin with as a result, their study included men of diverse socio-economic levels-- so they don't believe background is a big factor.

They also looked at the impact of smoking and intelligence on twins, and found that when one twin smoked, the non- smoking brother was more likely to be the smarter of the two.

Remember, if you're a smoker it's not too late no matter how long you've been at it. Your body can actually undo much of the damage, and it starts the moment you quit.

But if you've been smoking for years, it could take years before you're fully healed.

In other words, don't wait--get started now. Smokers are four times more likely to die of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Smokers are also far more likely to die of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and countless other awful conditions.

And now, as the new study shows, it may hurt more than just your body--it could also hurt your mind.

You might say that quitting is the smartest choice you can make.

Smoking isn't the only bad habit making headlines. Keep reading for more on the dangers of soda.