A new study has claimed that smoking harms the father's DNA and you may pass on your damaged genes to your children, raising the risk of cancer.
"Smoking harms the father's DNA, and these damaged genes can be inherited by his children," the Daily Mail quoted a new study by researchers at the University of Bradford in UK.
This raises the risk of youngsters developing childhood cancers, particularly leukaemia, the researchers warned.
A fertile sperm cell takes three months to fully develop, so smoking fathers should kick the butt 12 weeks before conceiving to avoid the risk, Dr Diana Anderson of the university said.
"Smoking by fathers at the time around conception can lead to genetic changes in their children. These changes may raise the risk of developing cancer," she said.
