New research studies effects of tobacco on body, behavior
By Hemesh Patel - Daily Bruin U. California-Los Angeles
(U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES, January 20,2001 -- Ethnobotanists call tobacco the
"filthy weed" and estimate that humans have been addicted to it for
8,000 years -- but research today is looking to prevent addiction.
New research is straying from looking at the biological effects of
tobacco and toward the behavioral impact nicotine produces.
Some studies even indicate that tobacco can be beneficial and are
concentrating on its effects on human behavior.
"Light smokers are less likely to become afflicted with Alzheimer's or
Parkinson's disease," said fourth-year behavioral neuroscience graduate
student, Janice Carlson, who works with a professor of psychology
studying how nicotine affects the brain.
Experiments show that nicotine can inhibit the degeneration caused by
these two diseases.
With tobacco-related disease resulting in more than 450,000 deaths each
year, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the negative
aspects far outweigh the positives to many people.
"I would refute the argument that light smoking can be beneficial," said
Susanne Hildebrand-Zanki, director of the Tobacco Related Disease
Program. "At this point in time, I can absolutely say the harmful
effects are so much severe than the benefits."
Because tobacco products contain other harmful agents such as tar, use
of nicotine as medicine in the future may be available in the form of a
patch or a pill rather than a cigarette.
Hildebrand-Zanki said smoking is the quickest way for nicotine to reach
the brain, and there really are no other methods that work as quick.
Further research would lead to medication with an improved way nicotine
approaches the brain.
Funding for this type of research at the University of California, comes
from the Tobacco Related Disease Program, which receives an estimated
$20 million a year, from a 25 cent tax on tobacco products.
The amount the program receives, however, is declining because the
consumption of tobacco products is declining in the state,
Hildebrand-Zanki said.
Clinical trials are currently not being funded, instead researchers are
using rat, mice and monkey models to perform their studies, whose
applicability to humans is limited.
The Tobacco Related Disease Program allots 60 percent of its fund toward
biomedical research and 40 percent toward behavioral research, or the
effect tobacco products have on different aspects of society.
Despite a lower amount of funding allotted toward behavioral research,
Roshan Bastani, associate director of the division of cancer prevention
and control at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, said researchers
are concentrating less heavily on the biological aspects of tobacco use.
"Everyone knows that smoking causes cancer, in terms of the harmful
(biological) effects of tobacco, there's probably not a lot more we can
do," Bastani said.
"Why is it so hard to quit? What promotes quitting?" she asked. "Just
telling people not to smoke won't work."
Bastani studies different groups in the population, in terms of age,
profession and ethnicity.
For example, studies have found that Asian Americans in high school tend
to smoke less than other ethnic groups. But this group has one of the
highest smoking rates after high school.
A number of different reasons contribute to this, including environment
and upbringing. Another study, she said, indicates African American
smokers have a preference for menthylated cigarettes.
"Why does this happen?" Bastani said. "One reason may have to do with
metabolism."
Other researchers argue there is a deeper reason that lead to tobacco
use in adolescents.
Genetics play a major role in determining who becomes addicted to
nicotine and why, he said.
"Some believe social environment has everything to do with it, but its
more than that, its how people respond to nicotine because not everyone
responds to it in the same way," said Dr. Ralph Delfino, a professor at
the UC Irvine college of medicine.
Delfino is working to find out what psychological determinant leads to
smoking addiction, especially in adolescents.
Researchers feel there is still a lot more that needs to be done in the
field as new studies are finding a correlation of tobacco with
infertility, impotence and an increased risk for Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome.
"We know what we need to know, and we can't back off now," Bastani said.
(C) 2001 Daily Bruin via U-WIRE
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