Smoking addiction gene discovered

SCIENTISTS have discovered the gene that turns tobacco smokers into addicts, and makes giving up the weed very difficult.

They believe that about half the population of Europe carry the gene, but its effects are only activated if a person begins to smoke.

This is the first time scientists have proved a genetic dependence on nicotine and they hope it will lead to ways to cure addicts of their need for tobacco.

The discovery was touted as a significant breakthrough in the battle against preventable deaths and cancer in particular. Smoking is blamed for 15% of early deaths in the EU and causes about 25% of all deaths from cancer.

Up to now very little has been known about why some people get hooked on smoking and find it difficult to give up, despite it increasing the likelihood of them developing lung cancer by about 30%.

The breakthrough came after years of research by a joint European US team and supported by over €8m funding from the EU research programme.

Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said tobacco is the single largest cause of avoidable death in the EU causing more than 500,000 a deaths a year, and nicotine dependence is believed to be the main reason for continued smoking.

A study of 11,000 Icelandic smokers showed the gene is more common in heavier smokers who were clinically diagnosed as nicotine-dependent. Once those with the gene started smoking they were less likely to quit. The gene was then analysed in 32,000 people in countries around the world and the results were published in the scientific journal, Nature, this week.

“The results are a milestone in the identification of genetic risk factors and genes involved in addiction. Addiction is a brain disease, common in Europe, but there has been little advance in the drug treatment for addictions over the last 20 years,” said Mr Potocnik.

The research consortium, GENADDICT, is also investigating alcohol and drug dependence. The role of genetics in addiction has been recognised for some time, but tracking down the responsible genes is not easy. The hope is new treatments and ways of dealing with addiction will come from this breakthrough.