Are You A Smoker? It Could Be Your Genes!

If you are a smoker and find it difficult if not impossible to quit, chances are your genetic makeup could be responsible, a recent study has revealed. The study also revealed how the smoker’s lung cancer risk was impacted by their genes. The DNA of over 140,000 people; smokers and nonsmokers were examined to arrive at the conclusions.

According to Dr. Helena Furberg from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, one of the researchers, told it isn’t just a matter of willpower alone; a person’s genes play a role in him or her smoking.

A change in DNA code of chromosome 11 was seen to be associated with people starting to smoke and a similar change in chromosome 9 was seen to be responsible for quitting smoking.

An Icelandic study also found that those with certain chromosomal variations tend to smoke more and are more at risk of developing lung cancer.

A third study found that yet another gene variant was responsible for nicotine addiction and therefore was seen to increase lung cancer risk.

Researchers are hopeful that this group of studies will help to provide better and more effective solutions for smokers in the long run.

Source: Reuters