A good anchor here is that cigarette smokers are 15-30 times more likely to get or die from lung cancer compared to non-smokers. Effect size and baseline risk

A good anchor here is that cigarette smokers are 15-30 times more likely to get or die from lung cancer compared to non-smokers. Effect size and baseline risk matter a lot, and while the idea that alcohol was pro-health always felt a little suspect, I don't think this kind of risk profile is at all significant enough for people to change their habits for. I didn't also read too much into this study, but there is a stark difference between old age dementia and younger dementia. My mom contracted dementia symptoms at 58, which is so much more devastating than another family member who started showing symptoms at 97.