Live with someone who smokes? Do you enjoy a cigarette once in awhile? No matter how little you smoke, exposing yourself to toxins in cigarettes may put you at future risk for lung disease, a new study found.
Researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center revealed a startling discovery: inhaling low levels of cigarette smoke can change the genes within the cells lining the airways.
Dr. Ronald Crystal, senior author of the study, said in a press release that genes, often activated in the cells of heavy smokers, are also turned on or off in those with very low-level exposure to cig smoke. The genetic effect is much lower than those who are regular smokers, but this does not mean that there are no health consequences. Certain genes within the cells lining the airways are very sensitive to tobacco smoke, and changes in the function of these genes are the first evidence of ‘biological disease’ in the lungs or individuals.
As the release explains, Dr. Crystal and his team tested 121 people from three categories: “nonsmokers,” “active smokers” and “low exposure smokers.” The researchers scanned each person’s entire genome to determine “which genes were either activated or deactivated in cells lining the airways. They found that there was no level of nicotine or cotinine that did not also correlate with genetic abnormalities.”
Dr. Crystal believes these findings provide further evidence to support banning of smoking in public places.
In related news, a poll recently last week found 59 percent of U.S. adults say smoking should be banned in restaurants, up 5 points from 2007, UPI reports.
