What Is a Pack Year and How Does It Relate to Me

What Is a Pack Year and How Does It Relate to Me Addiction Nicotine Use Print What Is a Pack Year and How Does It Relate to Me? Pack Years are a Measure of Lifetime Exposure to Tobacco Toxins By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on February 22, 2016 Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine.   Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD Updated on February 14, 2020 Knaupe/E/Getty Images More in Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery As of Dec. 20, 2019, the new legal age limit is 21 years old for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products in the U.S. A pack-year is a term used to describe the approximate number of cigarettes a person has smoked over time.?? One pack-year equals 20 manufactured cigarettes smoked per day for one year.   Examples of Pack Years Here are a few examples of how pack-years are determined. For the purposes of the calculation,  one pack contains 20 cigarettes. John smoked 10 cigarettes per day for 10 years.   1/2 pack  (10 cigarettes) per day x 10 years  5 pack-years Jane smoked 30 cigarettes per day for 26 years. 1 pack  (20 cigarettes) per day x 26 years 26 pack-years Plus 10 cigarettes (1/2 pack) per day x 26 years 13 pack-years 26 pack years 13 pack years 39 pack-years Chris smoked 40 cigarettes for 42 years. 2 packs  (40 cigarettes) x 42 years 84 pack-years What About Loose Tobacco? The pack-year calculation uses standard manufactured cigarettes, so what if you use loose tobacco to roll your own cigarettes or fill a pipe? The pack-year formula cant be applied to smokers using loose tobacco. Instead, a translation was derived by measuring the weight of tobacco in traditional cigarettes and relating it to loose tobacco.?? Even though there are some differences between the cigarettes you roll yourself with loose tobacco and manufactured cigarettes you buy in a pack, the American Cancer Society reminds consumers that there are health consequences to any type of cigarette you smoke.?? Approximately 1/2 ounce of loose tobacco equals 20 commercial cigarettes.   Heres the formula to gauge pack-years for loose tobacco smokers, who usually speak of how much they smoke in terms of ounces per week. Ounces per week × 2/7 × number of years smoked pack years Why Pack Years Matter Pack-years is one measure of lung cancer risk for smokers.?? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pack-years, age, and smoking history are used to determine whether an individual is eligible to be screened for lung cancer.?? However, there is some debate about the accuracy and usefulness of using pack-years as a risk assessment for lung cancer.?? For example, you might assume that a person who has smoked half a pack of cigarettes every day for 40 years (20 pack-years)  is at greater risk for lung cancer than someone who has been smoking two packs a day for 10 years (also 20 pack-years).   The assertion assumes that less smoking-related health damage occurs within the first 10 years a person smokes compared to the level of damage sustained after 40 years. However, research has shown that even occasional smoking has health consequences.?? While its not a perfect measure of risk, many researchers and clinicians feel that pack-years provide an important perspective on lifetime risk for smokers.?? Pack-years are a reasonable measure of the overall exposure smokers and former smokers have had to the toxins in cigarettes in their lifetime, but it isnt the only predictor of smoking-related disease. In addition to lung cancer, pack-years are one of several factors considered when assessing a persons risk of smoking-related cardiovascular disease and COPD. If you want to calculate your risk for lung cancer, the American Association for Thoracic Surgery provides a tool that takes several risk factors into account; the calculator can even assess your lung cancer risk if you have never smoked.?? Smoking Cessation Help Smoking cessation is a scary thought for many smokers, but its never too late to quit. Start by  learning about developing strong quit muscles, the supplies to have on hand when you quit, and nicotine withdrawal.