Research

New findings support theory that smoking causes depression
A new study reports that current heavy smokers (smoke twenty or more cigarettes in a day) have three times greater risk for major depression compared to former heavy smokers. Researchers analyzed data from a nationwide Canadian survey that tracked participants over a thirteen-year period. Participants identified as current, former, or never smokers for the duration of the study. The risk of a major depressive episode (MDE) was higher for current-heavy smokers (26.7%) than for former-heavy smokers (7.1%). The results suggest that there is a causal pathway linking heavy smoking to major depression. Click here to read more about this study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research. Click here for the study abstract.

Research reveals need for sight warnings on tobacco
Smokers are four times more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to past or nonsmokers, according to newly-published data. Smoking contributes to around 20% of sight loss in individuals over 50, and AMD is the most common cause of sight loss in this population. A study published in the journal Eye reported that 47% of the participants (patients in Southampton General Hospital in England) were aware of the link between smoking and eye disease, and 67% would be likely to quit smoking if they were told they were at a high genetic risk of developing AMD. Andrew Lotery, a consultant ophthalmologist and spokesperson for Southampton General Hospital, where the study was conducted, states that warnings of sight loss on cigarette packs could encourage smoking cessation. Click here to read more, and click here for the study abstract.

top

Back to Table of Contents