BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhuanet) -- For the first time, British life insurance companies have included the smoking risk in their life tables to set premiums, said a report posted on Times Online Wednesday.

    Being a smoker at the age of 30 cuts a man's life expectancy by five and a half years, and a woman's by more than six and a half, life tables released by the Institute of Actuaries show. At any age up to 80, the chances of dying in the next year are virtually doubled by being a smoker, the tables indicate.

    Women live longer than men, but the tables show that being a smoker has a more potent influence on life expectancy than being male or female.

    The tables were presented on Tuesday by Angus Macdonald, Professor of Actuarial Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University in Glasgow, at a conference of the actuaries in London.

    "These statistics are shocking, but not surprising. Figures released by Cancer Research UK last month showed that tobacco has killed 6.3 million people ¡ª close to the current population of London ¡ª across the UK during the last half-century," said Jean King of Cancer Research UK.

    "The good news is that quitting works ...Quitting at age 50 halves the risk of dying of a tobacco-related disease and quitting at 30 avoids almost all of it." He added.

    Five ways to quit smoking

•     Cold turkey: requires strong willpower
•     Nicotine replacement therapy: available in patches, gum, nasal spray, microtab, lozenge and inhaler
•     Acupuncture: involves needles being inserted into key pressure points on various parts of the body
•     Hypnotherapy: no proven effectiveness by clinical tests yet
•     Seeking specialist help

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