No Amount of Smoke is Safe During Pregnancy
Razi Berry Nearly a quarter of pregnant women say they’ve been around secondhand smoke — in their homes, at work, around a friend or relative — which, according to new research, is linked to epigenetic changes — meaning changes to how genes are regulated rather than changes to the genetic code itself — in babies […]
Smoking May Promote COVID-19 Infection
Razi Berry Previous data from COVID-19 patients suggests that cigarette smokers are more likely to have health complications. One possible reason, researchers report May 15 in the journal Developmental Cell, is that smoking increases the gene expression of ACE2–the protein that binds SARS-CoV-2–which may promote COVID-19 infection. Prolonged smoking could cause an increase of the […]
Using Cigarettes to Quit Vaping
Razi Berry Lucas McClain started smoking cigarettes in high school but switched to vaping after he heard e-cigarettes were a safer alternative. His vape of choice became the Juul, the king of electronic cigarettes — which comes with a king-size nicotine hit. Oh the irony; smoking cigarettes to stop vaping “Juul made my nicotine addiction […]
Gene Associated with Elevated Risk of Cannabis Abuse
Razi Berry New research from the Danish psychiatric project, iPSYCH, shows that a specific gene is associated with an increased risk of cannabis abuse. The gene is the source of a so-called nicotine receptor in the brain, and people with low amounts of this receptor have an increased risk of cannabis abuse. iPSYCH shows that […]
Smoking During Pregnancy Could Increase Risk of ADHD
Razi Berry Despite its proven negative effects on fetal development, smoking during pregnancy remains a significant public health issue. During 2017, approximately 12.5% of all pregnant women in Finland smoked during pregnancy and 7% continued to smoke throughout their pregnancy. Association between maternal smoking and offspring ADHD Exposure to maternal smoking is associated with various […]
Reducing Alcohol Intake May Help People Quit Smoking
Razi Berry Many people consider quitting smoking as a New Year’s Resolution. If this is you, perhaps cutting back on the amount of alcohol you’re drinking may help. Heavy drinkers who try and quit smoking have an easier time if alcohol use is also reduced Recent research has shown that heavy drinkers who try and […]
Cardiovascular Risks of “Vaping” and E-cigarettes
Razi Berry The use of electronic cigarettes, or “vaping” is become increasingly popular. There may be an idea that the use of e-cigarettes is less harmful to one’s health. It may not technically be “smoking,” however, the use of e-cigarettes is beginning to show a significant detrimental impact on vascular health, says a recent study.1 […]