Re: New smoking ban
Here's one piece that says smokers may be less likely to develop Alzheimers than nonsmokers...but the reason is because they will DIE from other causes (lung cancer, etc.) BEFORE they can develop the disease!
Pick the way you want to die, I guess.
Miulang
P.S. Here's another abstract on the benefits of smoking. Apparently there are some proven benefits (the association with Alzheimer's is still being debated) to smoking, though: reducing the risk for endometrial cancer, recurrent apthsous ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and weight control.
Originally posted by Leo Lakio
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"A statistically significant inverse association between smoking and Alzheimer's disease was observed at all levels of analysis, with a trend towards decreasing risk with increasing consumption" (International Journal of Epidemiology, 1991). "The risk of Alzheimer's disease decreased with increasing daily number of cigarettes smoked before onset of disease. . . . In six families in which the disease was apparently inherited . . . the mean age of onset was 4.17 years later in smoking patients than in non-smoking patients from the same family" (British Medical Journal, June 22, 1991). "Although more data are needed . . . [an analysis of 19 studies suggests] nicotine protects against AD" (Neuroepidemiology, 1994). Nicotine injections significantly improved certain types of mental functioning in Alzheimer's patients (Psychopharmacology, 1992). One theory: nicotine improves the responsiveness of Alzheimer's patients to acetylcholine, an important brain chemical.
...Some of the research is contradictory. At least one scientist thinks smokers are less likely to develop Alzheimer's mainly because they die of smoking-related diseases first. Smoking isn't like low-to-moderate alcohol use, which is probably harmless and may even be beneficial. Although the data is unclear, many believe the relationship between smoking and disease is linear: the more you smoke, the greater your risk--but any smoking presents some risk. Right now the only known benefit of smoking is a societal one: if the heavy smokers die young, they won't deplete the retirement funds for everybody else.
...Some of the research is contradictory. At least one scientist thinks smokers are less likely to develop Alzheimer's mainly because they die of smoking-related diseases first. Smoking isn't like low-to-moderate alcohol use, which is probably harmless and may even be beneficial. Although the data is unclear, many believe the relationship between smoking and disease is linear: the more you smoke, the greater your risk--but any smoking presents some risk. Right now the only known benefit of smoking is a societal one: if the heavy smokers die young, they won't deplete the retirement funds for everybody else.
Miulang
P.S. Here's another abstract on the benefits of smoking. Apparently there are some proven benefits (the association with Alzheimer's is still being debated) to smoking, though: reducing the risk for endometrial cancer, recurrent apthsous ulcers, ulcerative colitis, and weight control.
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