Gene May Affect Cigarette Addiction

Scientists have identified another gene that might affect how vulnerable a person is to cigarette addiction. Having a certain form of the gene makes it easier to kick the habit, or perhaps to avoid getting hooked in the first place, two studies suggest. But that apparent influence is modest. “This is just one small piece of the puzzle” of what influences smoking behavior, said psychologist Caryn Lerman, an author of one of the studies. Her work and a follow-up study by Dr. Dean Hamer of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues appear in this month’s issue of the journal Health Psychology.