[The effect of smoking on mortality and life expectancy of the Swiss population].

The quantitative impact of smoking on mortality and longevity in Switzerland is investigated. The calculations are based on mortality ratios between smokers and nonsmokers reported in prospective epidemiologic studies, the prevalence of smoking in Switzerland, cause-specific mortality rates and the lifetable. The results imply that in 1976 roughly 3800 premature deaths were attributable to smoking, more than 90% involving males. Thus, smoking appears to be the leading preventable cause of death in Switzerland. The results of lifetable methods used to estimate the impact of smoking on longevity imply that smoking reduces male life expectancy by 12 to 16 months, and that eradication of smoking would increase life expectancy accordingly. Combining the above results suggests that, in 1976, between 52 000 and 54 000 life years were lost as a consequence of the smokers' premature mortality.