An Older Man Who Is a Smoker Is Hospitalized for Orthopedic

An older man who is a smoker is hospitalized for orthopedic surgery. A nurse takes the opportunity to provide smoking cessation education. The patient asks the nurse: "I have been smoking for most of my life, and I am an old man. Why are you wasting your time telling me to stop smoking? Isn't it too late?" The nurse bases the response on the knowledge that:

A) smoking cessation as late as age 75 can reduce premature death by up to 50%.
B) smoking cessation as late as age 75 can completely eliminate premature death.
C) smoking cessation at a late age will not impact the smoker but can reduce exposure of family members to second-hand smoke.
D) smoking cessation education is only effective in individuals under age 75.