Research shows smoking doubles the risk of getting dementia in old age...

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Research shows smoking doubles the risk of getting dementia in old age...



Research from the US shows that smoking in middle age more than doubles the risk of alzheimers disease and other dementia later in life, according to one of the first long-term studies that have examined this issue.
Smoking definately has a clear effect on heart and lungs, but whether it also damaged the brain has been controversial. After looking at other factors that can contribute to dementia - such as race, age, diabetes, heart disease and substance abuse, the study published in the ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE recently found a significant link with heavy smoking at middle age.

Compared with non-smokers, those who smoked two packs a day or more had a 114 % increased risk of dementia (more than double), while those who smoked a half pack to one pack had a 37% increased risk. Middle aged former smokers did not appear to have an increased risk of later dementia.

Researchers in Finland and Sweden followed 21,123 middle-aged members of a health plan who took part in a survey between 1978 and 1985
.
The subjects were then followed for an average of 23 years. Giving up smoking appeared to improve chances of avoiding increased chances of getting dementia in old age.

Acknowledgements: Los Angeles Time


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Related articles

• Smoking Linked to Alzheimer's and Dementia (webmd.com)
• Vital Signs: Risks: Smokers Found More Prone to Dementia (nytimes.com)
• Beaumont Enterprise: Study: Smoking doubles dementia risk (beaumontenterprise.com)
• Heavy smoking at middle age linked to dementia (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• "Heavy Smoking and Dementia Linked" and related posts (psychcentral.com)

New Zealand Government bans smoking in prisons from 1 July 2011...

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Will the recently announced policy of the NZ Government to ban smoking in New Zealand from 1 July 2011 have any detrimental affects onprison life - will it cause riots and increased violence within prisons, as claimed by a prison guard's union? Guards have already been threatened in advance.

The Corrections minister, Judith Collins, aptly nicknamed "Crusher", announced the policy yesterday NZ time. She claimed health and safety reasons - second hand smoke and threats to sue for the ban but others cite cheap political expediency  - it will be just a few months short of the next elections.

As for the ban, 67-80% of prisoners in Kiwi prisons smoke. The prisons will have to provide support for those wishing to quit - phone support and nicotine patches. As an ex-smoker I know diet has a lot to do with recovery from the habit - but they won't get any extra food  inside.

PM John Key knows the inmates will get grizzly, but it will be just  too bad! But he and his government don't have to work inside, the guards do. I know there isn't much support out there for many of the nations worst prisoners, but take their 'fags' off them and what do they have left? Just their thoughts. Nearly half of all inmates in NZ prisons have mental health problems anyway, this will make them worse, I would suggest.