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Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

bbc.com

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Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#41

Post by ddorian43 »

Shivetya wrote: post #35

while there are some studies that do not put marijuana smoking as high on the danger list [1] I am really curious that as legalization increases what will we see in the future. Then of course there is the loosely regulated area of vaping and who knows what is in some of those fluids. For the most part I am quite sure they have to be safer than smoking but I would love some hard regulation. 2005 study on marijuana smo…

You can always go for vaporizers. Are vaporizers actually ever used on tobaco? (i think they're sold "for tobaco use only" like bongs?)

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#42

Post by delegate »

sidcool wrote: post #9

How addictive is tobacco/smoking as compared to Opiates/Heroin?

I've once read somewhere that they polled heroin addicts, asking them what they'd rather do first time they wake up in the morning - shoot heroin or smoke a cigarette.

Of course the vast majority said they'd smoke a cigarette.

I've never been a heroin addict, but I've been a tobacco smoker for many years and I can confirm that smoking a cig was definitely the most important thing I had to do in the morning.

Also if I had to spend my last money on food or a pack of cigarettes, obviously and without further consideration, I would choose the cigarettes.

So yeah, pretty addictive.

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#43

Post by ommunist »

CppCoder wrote: post #16
teamonkey wrote: post #5

Does anyone know the baseline rate for mutations for a non-smoker? Edit: Corrected autocorrect

I read the original study and yes, they did compare it to lifelong non-smokers. However, as far as I saw they only compared people with cancer. And the numbers were usually increased for smokers and the smokers usually ended up with more of a certain kind of cancer.

Great. Were the groups stratified against occupation? Were the smokers with no cancer under study?

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#44

Post by CoryG89 »

tkyjonathan wrote: post #37
CoryG89 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if there is just about anything (other than water) that you can put in your body that wouldn't have some effect on the mutation rate of some particular cells in your body.

Plants, fruits, starchy vegetables..

Surely there are plenty of plants containing chemicals which if injested in some way could cause a change in cell mutations.

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#45

Post by ommunist »

RyanZAG wrote: post #26
flukus wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A social safety net may stop some negative mutations from being selected against, but positive traits still get people laid more.

In USA, families on welfare benefits are also often the largest families. Being laid more is irrelevant if it does not result in a child. It's more reason as to why evolution is simply not a factor in the modern world. Also, why do you say 'some'? It would stop all negative mutations, as all people are given the ability to reproduce. Your argument seems to be that people with negative mutations would not be attractiv…

I think you are missing he point. Evolution is a process of selection of the offspring. It always happen. Just its factors change.

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#46

Post by ommunist »

ddorian43 wrote: post #41
Shivetya wrote: post #35

while there are some studies that do not put marijuana smoking as high on the danger list [1] I am really curious that as legalization increases what will we see in the future. Then of course there is the loosely regulated area of vaping and who knows what is in some of those fluids. For the most part I am quite sure they have to be safer than smoking but I would love some hard regulation. 2005 study on marijuana smo…

You can always go for vaporizers. Are vaporizers actually ever used on tobaco? (i think they're sold "for tobaco use only" like bongs?)

As a pipe smoker, I can tell that vaporisers work with synthetic liquids containing synthetical nicotine, nothing to do with harms and benefits of tobacco. You could use nicotine plasters with the same effect.

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#47

Post by ommunist »

delegate wrote: post #42
sidcool wrote: post #9

How addictive is tobacco/smoking as compared to Opiates/Heroin?

I've once read somewhere that they polled heroin addicts, asking them what they'd rather do first time they wake up in the morning - shoot heroin or smoke a cigarette. Of course the vast majority said they'd smoke a cigarette. I've never been a heroin addict, but I've been a tobacco smoker for many years and I can confirm that smoking a cig was definitely the most important thing I had to do in the morning. Also if I…

What kinds of cigarettes were you smoking exactly?

Re: Smoking “causes hundreds of DNA changes”

#50

Post by fithisux »

sidcool wrote: post #9

How addictive is tobacco/smoking as compared to Opiates/Heroin?

"Animal studies by NIDA-funded researchers have shown that acetaldehyde, another chemical found in tobacco smoke, dramatically increases the reinforcing properties of nicotine and may also contribute to tobacco addiction. The investigators further report that this effect is age-related: adolescent animals display far more sensitivity to this reinforcing effect, which suggests that the brains of adolescents may be more vulnerable to tobacco addiction."
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