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"At this point we know that smoking greatly contributes to the appearance of wrinkles, can lead to cancer, heart disease, and can possibly kill you. But [a new study suggests that there is a link between smokers and lower levels of intelligence](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1261490/Is-proof-smoking-lowers-IQ-Study-suggests-20-day-drastically-reduces-mental-capacity.html). The study, performed by the Sheba Medical Center at the Tel Hashomer Hospital in Israel, was conducted on 20,000 young men, including brothers. They found that those who smoke a pack or more of cigarettes a day have, on average, an IQ that's seven and a half points lower than those who did not smoke. (The same pattern was found in the sets of brothers even when they were raised in the same environment.) They aren't sure whether the addiction lowers the IQ or if people with a lower level of intelligence are more likely to start smoking, but the findings are similar to that of a 2004 study from the University of Aberdeen published in the psychology journal *Addictive Behaviors,* which found a possible link between smoking and reduced mental function. Either way, another reason to quit it.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n__RELATED LINKS:__\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  [\u00B7 Bad Skin Habits ](http://www.allure.com/magazine/2010/01/bad_skin_habits\\\\#slide=1)\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  [\u00B7 Quitting Conviction ](http://www.allure.com/magazine/2009/10/quitting_conviction)\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  [\u00B7 Daily Beauty Reporter: Smoking and Skin ](http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2009/05/smoking-and-skin.html)"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.allure.com/story/smoking-is-dumb-no-really>