People who smoke lose the ability to remember things in everyday tasks according to Northumbrian University, UK whose study on the consequences of smoking is due to be published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Looking at a sample of 69 smokers, non-smokers and those who had quit, Dr. Tom Hefferman at Northumbrian University, UK tested their ability to remember fifteen given tasks. Examples include: check your phone at the library, ask sports center for membership.

On average those who smoked, remembered less.

In the end, the tasks completed were about 12 out of 15 for people who did not smoke, 11 out of 15 for people who had quit, and 9 for people who were smoking.

"It's important to understand the effects smoking has on everyday cognitive function. We already know that giving up smoking has huge health benefits for the body, but this study also shows how stopping smoking can have knock-on benefits for cognitive function too," Heffernan said.

In another way, the percentage of task recollection was 81 percent by those who had never smoked, 74 percent in those who had given up, and 59 percent in those who still did.