A recent study has found that smokers who smoke in the early morning are at higher risk of developing lung cancer. The study was conducted by the US based researchers. There have been two studies which have revealed the danger of morning smoke upon lungs. The findings of both the studies have been published in the online journal Cancer.

It is believed that the findings of the study will help identify smokers who have an especially high risk of developing cancer and would benefit from targeted smoking interventions to reduce their risk.

Commenting upon the findings of the study, Cancer Research UK's Professor Robert West said, “So the most likely explanation of this finding is that the sooner a smoker lights up, the more smoke is taken into the lungs, and the higher the level of exposure to cancer causing chemicals. This may help estimating levels of tobacco exposure more than just looking at the usual daily cigarette consumption”.

For the study, the researchers examined thousand participants and compared the findings with the cancer patients who used to smoke earlier. During the study, it was found that smokers who smoke within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning are 1.42 times more likely to develop lung cancer.