Smoking makes a person dumb
By ANIThursday, April 1, 2010
WASHINGTON - Young men who smoke are likely to have lower IQs than their non-smoking peers, a new study has determined.
The study led by Prof. Mark Weiser of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Psychiatry and the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer Hospital tracked 18- to 21-year-old men enlisted in the Israeli army.
The average IQ for a non-smoker was about 101, while the smokers’ average was more than seven IQ points lower at about 94, the study determined.
The IQs of young men who smoked more than a pack a day were lower still, at about 90. An IQ score in a healthy population of such young men, with no mental disorders, falls within the range of 84 to 116.
“In the health profession, we’ve generally thought that smokers are most likely the kind of people to have grown up in difficult neighborhoods, or who’ve been given less education at good schools,” says Prof. Weiser, whose study was reported in a recent version of the journal Addiction. “But because our study included subjects with diverse socio-economic backgrounds, we’ve been able to rule out socio-economics as a major factor.”
The study also measured effects in twin brothers. In the case where one twin smoked, the non-smoking twin registered a higher IQ on average.
Although a lower IQ may suggest a greater risk for smoking addiction, the cross-sectional data on IQ and smoking found that most of the smokers investigated in the study had IQs within the average range nevertheless.
In the study, the researchers took data from more than 20,000 men before, during and after their time in the military. All men in the study were considered in good health, since pre-screening measures for suitability in the army had already been taken. The researchers found that around 28 percent of their sample smoked one or more cigarettes a day, 3 percent considered themselves ex-smokers, and 68 percent said they never smoked.
“People on the lower end of the average IQ tend to display poorer overall decision-making skills when it comes to their health,” says Prof. Weiser.
“People with lower IQs are not only prone to addictions such as smoking,” Prof. Weiser adds. “These same people are more likely to have obesity, nutrition and narcotics issues. Our study adds to the evidence of this growing body of research, and it may help parents and health professionals help at-risk young people make better choices.” (ANI)
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April 4, 2010: 2:15 am
There’s really no dispute that smoking is bad for our health. But what about the millions of Americans who are addicted? Is there no hope? In a recent press release, Dr. Elizabeth Whelan (President of the American Council on Science and Health), exposed the FDA, calling their statement “distorted, incomplete and misleading” in reference to a press conference that the FDA held to scare Americans away from electronic cigarettes. Federal and state agencies collect 26 BILLION dollars per year on tobacco taxes, and ZERO on e-cigarettes. Basically, the FDA is strongly advising us to “Stay away from these new electronic cigarettes. Stick to the good old (tax revenue producing) tobacco cigarettes. You know, the ones that cause nearly half a million deaths each year in the US alone” The FDA has violated its own rules of presenting policies based upon sound science. In essence the FDA is telling us we don’t care whether Americans live or die. We want our tax revenues! Tobacco cigarettes are deadly, not only due to the presence of toxins and carcinogens, but because smokers inhale huge amounts of smoke (products of combustion). The result? Millions of people die from heart disease, lung disease, cancer etc. Smokers ‘need’ nicotine. By getting the nicotine without the smoke, e-cig users enjoy an enormous health benefit over tobacco smokers. The FDA has approved other nicotine delivery systems (gums and patches) but they have been dismal failures, with a success rate of under 15%. So by only approving products that don’t work, the FDA has condemned millions of smokers to a lingering death. We desperately need other alternatives. Dr. Whelan commented, “Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States today. Any alternative acceptable to addicted smokers should be taken seriously. Instead of condemning the e-cigarette, the FDA should be sponsoring studies to evaluate its safety and efficacy, leaving it on the market in the interim.” If you know someone who smokes, you can do them a big favour. |
Rick G House