Smokers’ genetic make-up may be key to quitting

PEOPLE who find it impossible to give up smoking can blame their genes, new research suggests.

Scientists found that particular versions of 221 genes distinguished successful quitters from unreformed smokers.

The US discovery could lead to smoking cessation treatments tailored to an individual’s genetic make-up.

Research leader Dr Jed Rose, director of Duke University’s Centre for Nicotine and Smoking Cessation Research in Durham, North Carolina, said: “The long-term hope is that identifying these genetic variables will help us determine which type of treatment would be most effective.

Dr Rose’s team screened 520,000 genes taken from blood samples of smokers and non-smokers. Comparing the genes from both groups revealed 221 variants only present in successful quitters.

The function of 187 of the genes is known and scientists are still trying to determine what the others do.

At least 30 genes had previously been shown to play a role in addiction to other drugs besides nicotine.

“These findings lend further support to the idea that nicotine dependence shares some common genetic vulnerabilities with addictions to other substances,” said Dr George Uhl, from the US National Institute of Drug Abuse, who also took part in the study.