Smoking: Why the first puff can get you hooked

For many, the first fag is just for the sake of trying out smoking, but for some, this first puff turns out to be a life time of addiction. Scientists have now attributed this tendency to the brain's procession of 'rewarding' and addictive properties of nicotine.

In their new study, researchers at The University of Western Ontario have said that the mechanism behind the brain's processing of the 'rewarding' and addictive properties of nicotine, may explain why some people seemingly become hooked with their first smoke.

Led by Steven Laviolette of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, the study could lead to new therapies to prevent nicotine dependence and to treat nicotine withdrawal when smokers try to quit.

"Nicotine interacts with a variety of neurochemical pathways within the brain to produce its rewarding and addictive effects. However, during the early phase of tobacco exposure, many individuals find nicotine highly unpleasant and aversive, whereas others may become rapidly dependent on nicotine and find it highly rewarding. We wanted to explore that difference," explained Laviolette.

The scientists particularly found one brain pathway that uses the neurotransmitter 'dopamine' to transmit signals related to nicotine's rewarding properties.

This pathway is called the 'mesolimbic' dopamine system and is involved in the addictive properties of many drugs of abuse, including cocaine, alcohol and nicotine.
"While much progress has been made in understanding how the brain processes the rewarding effects of nicotine after the dependence is established, very little is known about how the mesolimbic dopamine system may control the initial vulnerability to nicotine; that is, why do some individuals become quickly addicted to nicotine while others do not, and in some cases, even find nicotine to be highly aversive," said Laviolette.

The team then identified which specific dopamine receptor subtype controlled the brain's initial sensitivity to nicotine's rewarding and addictive properties and were able to manipulate these receptors to control whether the nicotine is processed as rewarding or aversive.

"Importantly, our findings may explain an individual's vulnerability to nicotine addiction, and may point to new pharmacological treatments for the prevention of it, and the treatment of nicotine withdrawal," said Laviolette.

The paper is published in the latest issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

Children Smoking - Bad influence - Hope Its not ur kid one day!

Costlier cigarette causing smokers to smoke bidis

While the government is trying out various methods, including a hefty tax levy to make smokers give up smoking or cough up more, tobacco lovers are turning to cheaper options to 'puff away their blues'.

Trends indicate that smokers hit by the rising prices have shifted to so called down market options like bidis and Gutkas, as heavy tax slabs have failed to kill their urge to smoke resulting in an increase in total tobacco consumption.

"High rates of taxation on cigarettes are forcing consumers to shift to cheaper and alternate forms of tobacco consumption. As a result, overall tobacco consumption is increasing, as the price of other tobacco products is very low," says Udayan Lal, Director, Tobacco Institute of India (TII).

According to a report by the health ministry, India is home to 100 million bidi smokers and around 8 lakh people in the country die due to tobacco consumption annually with 6 lakh deaths caused by bidis alone.

"It's not that the government is unaware of the facts about the growing bidi industry. The highly labour intensive nature of the industry, which provides large-scale employment, gives it a powerful voice and that could be one of the reasons why tax rates are so low," says Lal.

"And also there is a highly decentralized system on manufacturing and distribution of bidis. There are thousands of bidis factories and no reliable data on their production or consumption," Lal adds.

Statistics by the ministry reveal that about 15 per cent of tobacco consumption in India is in the form of cigarettes while 53 per cent is smoked as bidis.

"Unlike the rest of the world, where, on an average, cigarettes account for as much as 90 per cent of the total tobacco consumed, in India cigarettes represent only 15 per cent of total tobacco consumption. The balance 85 per cent of tobacco consumption is in the form of traditional tobacco products like bidis, chewing "khaini", gutka, etc," says Lal.

Cigarettes contribute 85 per cent to the total excise revenues collected from the tobacco industry, amounting to Rs 8,500 crore, according to Tobacco Institute of India (TII).

Pointing out that the bidi consumption is very high in northern India, particularly in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and UP, with the ratio of bidis to cigarettes sometimes being as high as 24:1, he says, "Bidis are more harmful than cigarettes because they go out more often than cigarettes and are filled with small amounts of low-grade tobacco."

Studies have also shown India's 4.4 million full-time bidi rollers the majority of whom are rural women and children who roll bidis by hand at home and are paid low wages were more likely to contract anaemia, asthma and TB than other non-smokers not involved in bidi production.

"It is an industry that is growing. More than 800 billion bidis are sold in India each year compared with 100 billion cigarettes sold annually. Easily available and comparatively cheap, the bidi is smoked predominantly by people on lower incomes," says Lal.

Adding that it is the high and discriminatory rates of taxation on cigarettes that are dictating the consumption pattern of tobacco products, Lal says, "Tax on bidis are currently just one-twelfth of the tax levied on non-filter micro cigarettes (purchased by the poor) and just 2 per cent of the tax on more expensive standard filters cigarettes. As a result bidis represent less than 6 per cent of India's total tobacco excise revenues."

Talking about the reforms needed to discourage the favoured status towards bidis, he says, "Tax on bidis should be levelled at par with other tobacco products by raising the excise duty. It would help in reducing the overall tobacco consumption as the average price of tobacco products increase and also generate more revenue for government."

The Path of A Successful Quitter

Have you ever heard of the saying, that the best way to succeed is to follow those who have succeeded? Smokers who have quit smoking successfully share common characteristics.

Here are the perfect characteristics and examples of a successful quitter.

• Successful quitters believe in themselves. They totally believe that they have the choice and ability to quit smoking for good.

• Successful quitters are completely motivated to quit smoking. They have made the decision to do whatever it takes to overcome the habit completely, without the option of turning back.

• Successful quitters refuse to go back on their decision to quit smoking. They throw away their lighters, ash tray and cigarettes and let everyone know that they are quitting smoking. They create for themselves the courage and spirit to quit smoking completely.

• Successful quitters are honest with themselves and refuse to make excuses that "justify" smoking. They accept the dangers and realities of smoking.

• Successful smokers fix a quit date and stick to it. Once they have fixed this date, they stop making excuses to prolong their smoking habit.

• Successful quitters accept full responsibility for their smoking habit. They no longer blame their parents, friends or tobacco companies anymore. They accept their faults are a determined to change them.

• Successful quitters admit that they may need help and support to quit smoking.

• Successful quitters plan their quitting process carefully. They write down their goals and quit dates and engrave these information into their minds.

• Successful quitters are persistent and determined to quit smoking, even it takes them several attempts before they finally quit for good.

• Successful quitters usually have quit friends to support them. These may be people helping them quit smoking or people who are quitting smoking at the same time.

• Successful quitters are determined to tolerate the initial discomfort of quitting smoking, knowing that they will be rewarded with a lifetime of freedom and better health.

• Successful quitters change their focus towards better health. They begin exercise programs and alter their diet.

• Successful quitters know the benefits of drinking water lots of water and discipline themselves to do so.

• Successful quitters are willing to try smoking cessation aids to help them ease the process of quitting smoking.

• Successful quitters help others quit smoking. They develop a sense of duty to share their achievement with others because they understand their plight. Unsuccessful people on the other hand are always asking, "What's in it for me?"

• Successful quitters reward themselves. They treat themselves for their achievement in as many ways as they can.

• Successful quitters never ever take another puff of cigarette, no matter what it takes or whatever situation they are in. They know that just one puff is harmful and can ruin everything they have done so far.

Remember, the best way to succeed in any quest is to follow the footsteps of someone who already has succeeded before you. If you do this right, you too can quit smoking just like any of them.

Smoking outside 'still harms kids'

SMOKING outside does not stop children being exposed to high levels of dangerous tobacco chemicals, Australian research shows.

A study of homes in Perth found higher levels of nicotine and other tobacco-related particles inside the houses of smokers compared to smoke-free homes, even if the smokers smoked outdoors.

Children in these homes had higher rates of respiratory illnesses like asthma, probably because the smokers were dispersing these particles when returning indoors.

The message, say researchers from Curtin University of Technology, is that parents must quit to make their home truly safe for children.

"If parents would like to provide a smoke-free home environment they have to stop smoking. It's as simple as that," said lead researcher Dr Krassi Rumchev.

"Because smoking outside just isn't providing the protection that many Australian smokers believe it does."

Australia's smoking rates have dropped significantly in the past decade, with only 17 per cent now smoking daily.

However, smoking rates were high in the study, with 42 per cent of 92 houses surveyed home to smokers. In almost all cases of houses with smokers, the smokers smoked outside.

Researchers measured levels of nicotine and respirable particles over 24 hours in the living rooms of all the homes.

Levels were low in homes without smokers and considerably higher in houses where smoking was reported.

Dr Rumchev said it appeared that when smokers returned indoors they were still breathing out smoke which contaminates the air enough to cause damage. Particles were also brought inside attached to their body and clothes.

"The little nicotine particles attach to the hair and body of the smoker and are then dispersed into the air at levels that can really cause problems," she said.

Respiratory illnesses were more prevalent in homes with smokers than smoke-free households, Dr Rumchev said.

Children exposed to higher air nicotine levels were three times more likely to have asthma or wheeze than those not exposed.

Air-conditioning or opening the windows did not adequately reduce environmental tobacco smoke, the research showed.

Dr Rumchev said a large-scale awareness campaign was needed to educate parents on these dangers.

Hooked on hookah? Some students unaware of harmful effects

Hookah smoking is no longer just an activity for the inquisitive caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland.

Researchers say college students are spending more of their time smoking hookahs instead of cigarettes, but many students are unaware of its harmful effects.

Crystal, a 22-year-old American University graduate student, says hookahs - or water pipes filled with tobacco - are more appealing than cigarettes. She explains why many college students are attracted to hookah smoking.

"At hookah bars you just sit down, chill out, and talk. It's a low key, laid back type setting."

Crystal says she smokes a hookah once every few months, but says she knows the effects are similar to smoking cigarettes.

"I think a lot of people think it's safer, but I don't think it's safer."

A new study from The Journal of Adolescent Health found a puff of hookah smoke is 100 times more dangerous than a puff of cigarette smoke. Of the 700 students surveyed in the study, 40 percent said they used a hookah last year.

Ritodhi Chakraborty, a 24-year-old graduate student at American University and a native of India, says the fruit-flavored tobacco makes hookahs appear less harmful.

"I think I got duped into it with the misconception that it was safer than cigarettes, and it's really not," Chakraborty says. "Everybody thinks it's not as harmful. People are like, 'This tastes like passion fruit, of course it's not as harmful.' It affects your lungs just as bad as a cigarette does."

Chakraborty says most people do not smoke a hookah properly, making it even more dangerous.

"When you are smoking hookah, you should feel like you are choking yourself," Chakraborty says. "I try to teach people how to smoke. You let the smoke come out through your nose. If you put it all into your body, you are just messing up your lungs."

Although Chakraborty knows the effects of smoking a hookah, he says he has no problem smoking them.

"It gives you the buzz, which otherwise you wouldn't get," Chakraborty says. "Who doesn't like blowing smoke out of their mouth? It's like to coolest thing to do."

Smoking Hazards - Please Quit Smoking to Make a Healthy Environment

Why Should stop Smoking?

There are so many reasons, but I would try to be short and sweet here.

1. To Increase your life Span,

2. Keep yourself fit and healthy

3. To save your Money

4. To save your time

5. To save your Family

6. To Save the environment.

And Many More.....

According to NHS:

Why it should be done. Giving up smoking increases your chances of living a longer and healthier life. It instantly reduces your risk of death or serious illness due to smoking-related diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease.

Health benefits from the moment you stop

When you stop smoking, the benefits to your health begin straight away. As your body starts to return to normal, you will start to feel healthier, and within a few weeks you will also start to notice the benefits. For example:

After one month - your skin will be clearer, brighter and more hydrated.

After 3-9 months - your breathing will have improved, and you will no longer have a cough or wheeze. Your lung function may have improved by up to 10%.

After one year - your risk of heart attack and heart disease will have fallen to about half that of a smoker.

After 10 years - your risk of lung cancer will have fallen by half.

After 15 years - your risk of heart attack and heart disease will be the same as someone who has never smoked.

Research into smoking shows that people who quit smoking before the age of 35 have a life expectancy only slightly less than people who have never smoked. Those who quit before they are 50 years of age reduce their risk of dying from a smoking-related disease by 50%.

As well as the immediate and long-term benefits to your health, there are many other good reasons to quit smoking, such as those outlined below.

No longer causing harm to others through passive smoking, particularly babies and children, who are at risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, and ear and chest infections.

It is less likely that your children will go on to smoke. Research shows that children living with parents who smoke are almost three times more likely to start smoking themselves.

Limiting harm to your unborn baby. Although smoking at any stage of pregnancy can harm your baby, most of the harmful effects of smoking occur in the second trimester (weeks 14-26) and third trimester (week 27-birth). Therefore, if a woman quits smoking during her first three months of pregnancy, she will have a similar risk of giving birth to a low weight baby as a non-smoker.

Final word, Please save yourself from this bad killer habbit and take few next steps towards quit smoking path.

Cheers,

-abasits

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