New study suggests tobacco addiction is genetic

Smokers can now confidently blame genetics for their awful nicotine addiction says a new study from Dunedin, New Zealand. An international group of researchers collected clues from previous studies to formulate a “genetic risk profile” for smokers. This risk profile application was used on 1000 people who were born in the Dunedin area in the 70s.

Findings revealed that having a high risk profile made the person more likely to keep their smoking habit and stay dependent on nicotine, for those who had tried smoking previously. As reported by The New Zealand Herald, The New Zealand Science Media Centre said that teenagers have the strongest link when it comes to nicotine addiction. This could be because the brain of a youth reacts differently to nicotine, as stated by one researcher from Duke University.

To illustrate, teens who try nicotine with a high-risk genetic profile had a 24 percent greater chance of becoming routine smokers by age 15. That number almost doubles, to 43 percent by age 18, when they’ll increase their smoking usage to a pack each day. Adults with the same type of risky profile have a 22 percent more likely chance of not giving up their addictive habit.

Currently, smoke-free signs in New Zealand parks are displayed in hopes to curb the urge and the government is setting up legislation for plain packaging on all tobacco products.