Research suggests that, for some, addiction grabs hold quickly
MONDAY, Oct. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Just a single drag on a
cigarette may drag a teen into smoking addiction, a new study
suggests. Researchers say almost a third of kids interviewed who
tried smoking said their first cigarette brought them a feeling
of relaxation -- and two-thirds of those kids went on to become
smokers. "This provides further support for the idea that
dependence begins with the first cigarette," said study lead
author Dr. Joseph DiFranza, a professor in the department of
family medicine and community health at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass. DiFranza's
findings are reported in the October issue of Pediatrics.
Between 2002 and 2006, the study authors tracked the smoking
habits of 217 sixth-graders, averaging 12 years of age, who they
recruited from six schools in Massachusetts. Nearly three-
quarters of the children were non-Hispanic whites, and all
reported having inhaled a cigarette at least onc