In today's health matters, compared to people who don't smoke, smokers face twice the risk of stroke. And, they are likely to have that stroke nearly a decade sooner.

That's according to a new study out of Canada. Researchers examined more then 900 stroke patients over roughly two years. They found the average age of stroke victims who smoked was 58.

That was nine years younger than the average age of the non-smokers. But, researchers says within two years of quitting smoking, the risk for stroke or heart disease drops to non-smoker levels.