Smokers were 8 times more likely than never-smokers to report 'buzz' with first cigarette
Jump to full article: HealthDay [HealthScout], 2008-08-08
Intro: A gene variant that may influence a person's initial response to smoking and lifetime smoking habits has been identified by a team of researchers.
The finding about the variant in the CHRNA5 nicotine receptor gene may help explain how someone goes from trying their first cigarette to becoming a long-term smoker.
Previous studies have inked variations in the same genetic region to a smoker's level of nicotine dependence, to the number of cigarettes smoker per day, and to an increased risk of lung cancer.
This new University of Michigan-led study examined genetic and smoking data from 435 people, including never-smokers -- who tried at least one cigarette but no more than 100 cigarettes in their lives -- and regular smokers who'd smoked at least five cigarettes a day for at least the past five years.
The regular smokers were far more likely than never-smokers to have less common form of the CHRNA5 gene in which just one base pair in the gene sequence is different from the more common form of the gene.
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