Muscat, December 06: Higher levels of nicotine is found in the blood of smokers who light up on waking, placing them at an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
“Not all smokers are the same and approaches to smoking reduction may need to account for individual smoking behaviors such as the intensity and frequency of puffing, cravings, and physiological symptoms,” said lead researcher Joshua Muscat.
According to the study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, those who start smoking as soon as they wake up have higher levels of nicotine in their blood, regardless of the number of cigarettes they smoke.
Lighting the first cigarette after breakfast lowers the blood levels of cotinine, a by-product of nicotine responsible for its toxic effects.
The highest levels of the compound are found in those who start smoking within 30 minutes of waking up; this group is considered to be highly dependent on smoking.
“These people may require a more intensive intervention than other smokers to help them quit smoking on a sustained or permanent basis,” concluded Muscat.
——Agencies