Don't start smoking yet.
See following articles...
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Br Med Bull 1996 Jan;52(1):58-73
Beneficial effects of nicotine and cigarette smoking: the real, the possible
and the spurious.
Baron JA
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire,
USA.
Cigarette smoking is an established risk factor for cancer and
cardiovascular disease, and is the leading cause of avoidable disease in most
industrialized countries. Less well-known are possible beneficial effects,
which are briefly considered in this survey. Preliminary data suggest that
there may be inverse associations of smoking with uterine fibroids and
endometriosis, and protective effects on hypertensive disorders and vomiting
of pregnancy are likely. Smoking has consistently been found to be inversely
related to the risk of endometrial cancer, but cancers of the breast and
colon seem unrelated to smoking. Inverse associations with venous thrombosis
and fatality after myocardial infarction are probably not causal, but
indications of benefits with regard to recurrent aphthous ulcers, ulcerative
colitis, and control of body weight may well reflect a genuine benefit.
Evidence is growing that cigarette smoking and nicotine may prevent or
ameliorate Parkinson's disease, and could do so in Alzheimer's dementia. A
variety of mechanisms for potentially beneficial effects of smoking have
been proposed, but three predominate: the 'anti-estrogenic effect' of
smoking; alterations in prostaglandin production; and stimulation of
nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the central nervous system. Even
established inverse associations cannot be used as a rationale for cigarette
smoking. These data can be used, however, to clarify mechanisms of disease,
and point to productive treatment or preventive options with more
narrowly-acting interventions.
PMID: 8746297, UI: 96362361
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Br J Nurs 1996 Oct 24-Nov 13;5(19):1195-202
Does nicotine have beneficial effects in the treatment of certain diseases?
Birtwistle J, Hall K
University of Southampton, Department of Psychiatry, Royal South Hants
Hospital.
Although tobacco smoking has long been associated with diseases of the lungs
and cardiovascular system, numerous studies have demonstrated a negative
association between tobacco smoking and ulcerative colitis, and the
neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease
(PD). The evidence suggests that nicotine--the main pharmacologically active
ingredient of tobacco--appears to be responsible for this effect. Pure nicotine
has no known carcinogenic properties and can be administered in numerous ways
including transdermal patches and tablets. As a therapeutic agent, its
association with tobacco can be likened to morphine and opium smoking. There is
ample clinical evidence to suggest that nicotine could be beneficial in the
treatment of some patients with diseases. Pharmacologically, nicotine acts on
cholinergic (nicotinic-specific) receptors which are depleted in AD and PD.
Nicotinic receptors also interact closely with several neurotransmitters
including dopamine, which is implicated in both PD and Gilles de la Tourettes's
syndrome. There is no doubt that tobacco smoking can be harmful and no-one
should be encouraged to smoke. However, although nicotine has many harmful
side-effects, it may have therapeutic value or at the very least be a useful
tool for future drug development.
PMID: 9006184, UI: 97158826
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Ray Strand
mailto:[log in to unmask]
48/47/45?
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...on the edge of the prairie abyss ......................
