Smokers Have High-Risk to Become Cocaine Addict

CALIFORNIA - The scientists are from Columbia University claiming smoking is a cause of the beginning of high-risk drugs and become addicts.

They say cigarettes and alcohol is a "gate" that leads a person to use marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and other illicit drugs. Similarly, as quoted by TG Daily, Sunday (11/06/2011).

An article on "Science Translational Medicine" written by Amir Levine, Denise Kandel, Eric Kandel, and other colleagues at Columbia University Medical Center provides a molecular explanation of the order of "gate" a person who ultimately use the drug.

They claim to have tested their findings in laboratory mice (which has a structure similar to human nerve). The scientists said nicotine is the cause of changes in the brain so helpless when fighting cocaine addiction.

Levels of nicotine and cocaine use were analyzed to determine an initial treatment regime dramatically nicotine response to changes in consumption behaviors associated with cocaine addiction.

Based on the results of research inspired by the new analysis and human epidemiological data shows, cocaine users are generally begins after they smoked and this makes them become high-risk addicts.

"This study raises interesting questions that can now be explored further in animal models," said Danise Kandel, one of the authors.

"The question involves whether alcohol and marijuana can create the stimulation in the brain or into the sequence of 'gateway' drug use, like nicotine? Then, if each sequence using a different mechanism?," He continued.

Please be aware of epidemiological studies and data do not prove causation. Both are just proving the existence of relation to one another.

That is, this study shows cocaine dependence can be attributed to nicotine, but the use of nicotine has not been proven with certainty whether it can make people addicted to cocaine.

"The results of this research aims to create effective prevention programs for public health against the dangers of nicotine, especially for adolescents," concluded the researchers.

Source: Okezone.com