Although smoking does not directly cause mesothelioma, it can cause an early onset of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a disease with a very lengthy latency period. A latency period is a time frame of 20 to 50 years in which the disease is dormant or not yet actively showing symptoms. Smoking can shorten this latency period and cause a full-blown onset of mesothelioma much sooner than if the individual did not smoke. This is primarily due to the carcinogen-inducing substances found in tobacco products. Someone who has been exposed to asbestos and smokes will have a higher chance of developing mesothelioma than an individual who has been exposed to asbestos and does not smoke.
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