Did The Oldest Person In Modern History Die Because Of Quitting Smoking?

Surgeon General's Warning: Cigarettes are still best for babies up to 122 years (pun intended).

The oldest known person in modern history was a Fenchwoman named Jeanne Calment, who lived from 1875-1997, She passed away at the age of 122 years and 164 days, outliving her daughter and grandson.

Aside from her age, she was also known as the last person ever lived who met the artist Vincent van Gogh (one of my heroes), when she was 12 or 13 years old, when he came into her uncle's shop in 1888. She found him to be "dirty, badly dressed and disagreeable." Her experience with van Gogh was briefly described in the 1990 Canadian fantasy film Vincent and Me, wherein Calment made a cameo appearance as herself when she was 114 years old, making her the oldest film actress ever.

However, despite her longevity, one of the known issues in Calment's life that was worth debatable for, was her smoking habit. She started smoking at the age of 21, smoking two cigarettes a day, and she would eventually quit the habit 5 years before her death. In other words, she was smoking for nearly a century.

Everybody knows how smoking is bad for health, as well as its adverse effects in our body. However, anyone may possibly think otherwise upon hearing Calment's story.

Just think, how can the oldest woman in our modern history passed away at the age of 122, after smoking cigarettes for nearly a century on a daily basis, and eventually quitting the vice five years before her death. The ultimate question is...

Was her decision of quitting smoking actually killed her instead?

Jeanne Calment was originated from Arles, France, the same place where Vincent van Gogh had resided in his final years. Calment picked up the habit of smoking at a young age and kept smoking till the age of 117. For nearly a century, the woman inhaled cigarette smoke and it did nothing to her.

The reason behind her decision of quitting smoking is unknown... perhaps she probably realized that she still wants to spend more years on earth, we may never know. However, five years after that decision, she ultimately died. Calment was not actually into health and fitness but she took up fencing and cycling as an exercise routine between the age of 85-100. She drank port wine and nearly consumed 2.2 pounds of chocolate per week. She also poured olive oil on all her food and rubbed onto her skin.

As opposed to popular belief, Calment had smoked for decades, yet did not lose her life to deadly diseases such as lung cancer and heart failure as smokers mostly do. However, it is truly quite ironic that she died only after she decided to quit smoking. Was it indeed her time to die, or did her decision of quitting smoking had killed her ultimately? That is up to you to figure.

The story of Jeanne Calment's life shows that smoking and death are not directly proportional with each other. But it also does not necessarily mean that smoking is proven safe and good for everyone, so do not be fooled very easily. However, blessed are those who truly understand even after reading this article.