Smokers: Quiting Smoking Won't Repair the Genes that Protect Against Cancer

The dangers of smoking and other forms of tobacco addiction have long been known. Cancer, high blood pressure, emphysema and an increased risk of heart disease top the list A Doonesbury cartoon once featured its famous talking cigarette showing a health report on the possible complications of the habit dating from the 19^th century. Stopping smoking is a good idea, and not taking a cigarette, pipe, cigar or stating to chew in the first place is the best way not to suffer from complications involving taking an occasional puff.

Two scientists in British Columbia conducted a study to evaluate the long term consequences of a nicotine habit. The result published online in the BMC Genomics found that smoking permanently activates some genes which increase your chance of lung cancer.

Habitual smoking damages the parts a cell's DNA that are used in the normal repair process which plays a role in protecting cells from cancer. Many other functions will return to normal after the damage from a nicotine habit clears the system such as the genes that control xenobiotic functions, nucleotide metabolism, and mucus secretion.

It seems that the findings of the British Columbia scientists only slightly changed what was already known about the health of a smoker who decides to kick the habit. The study merely showed that some genes are damaged beyond repair and little is known about exactly how smoking affect the genetic structure of a person's body overall. It may be a little discouraging for people with a nicotine addiction to hear this news now, but health benefits will still accrue from giving up tobacco.

For those who still need some other addiction, caffeine is still socially acceptable and has not yet been banned in many countries of the world with the possible exception of Utah. Energy gums have become available for those who need something to do with their hands in the process. Nicotine gums, however, are not necessarily a substitute and even if they were, the price would be prohibitively expensive. (Although it does bring about the question why companies such as Nicorrette don't try to market their gums as something other than a smoking cessation product.) And even if you do not get the health benefits from it, your clothes will start to smell better and the non-smokers may be less inclined to require extra personal space when you are in their presence.

Sources:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/LungCancer/tb/6530