Years of smoking may cloud the brain as well as the air, according to a new study.

Researchers found long-term cigarette smoking was associated with diminished thinking skills as well as lower IQ among a group of alcoholic and nonalcoholic men.

Previous studies have shown that long-term alcoholism dims thinking skills and eventually lowers IQ, and researchers say 50 percent-80 percent of alcoholics are also smokers.

If the findings of this study are confirmed by others, researchers say they suggest that smoking may account for a portion of the mind-numbing effects normally associated with alcoholism.

"We can't say that we've found a cause-and-effect relationship between smoking and decreased thinking ability," says researcher Jennifer Glass, PhD, a research assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan, in a news release. "But we hope our findings of an association will lead to further examination of this important issue. Perhaps it will help give smokers one more reason to quit, and encourage quitting smoking among those who are also trying to control their drinking."

The study was designed to look at alcoholism’s long-term effect on the brain and thinking skills in a group of 172 alcoholic and nonalcoholic men over a period of about 15 years.

The results, published in the Alcohol and Drug Dependence, concurred with previous findings that alcoholism caused thinking problems and lowered IQ, but they also showed that smoking had a similarly negative effect on the brain.

Researchers found the effect of smoking on memory, problem-solving, and IQ was most pronounced among those men who had smoked for many years. The negative effect of smoking on the brain remained significant in alcoholic men after alcohol and drug use were taken into account.

"The exact mechanism for smoking's impact on the brain's higher functions is still unclear, but may involve both neurochemical effects and damage to the blood vessels that supply the brain," says researcher Robert Zucker, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, in the release. "This is consistent with other findings that people with cardiovascular disease and lung disease tend to have reduced neurocognitive function."

Researchers say the findings should prompt alcoholism researchers to re-examine their data for any impact from smoking because smoking is not usually taken into account in studies of alcoholism’s effects on the brain, despite the fact that many alcoholics smoke.

Notice that the smarter people in the world aren't smokers?

I'm glad "I" don't smoke :D

Me love alceehol.

:hide:

I'm a heavy smoker.

I think it does make me dumber.

I'll sacrifice the 3 IQ points that I'll lose 20 years from now for all the fun times I have getting drunk and smoking cigarettes.

I don't drink or smoke.

sorry

You should try it, it's fun.

Notice that the smarter people in the world aren't smokers?

I'm glad "I" don't smoke :D


Does this mean you are including yourself in the group of "the smarter people in the world"?

Einstein smoked you dumb ******.

he had to........ so that he can dumb down to the rest of us.......

i knew it... thats why smokers are the most unprepared people in the world. i have never met one smoker who hasnt asked for a light or a smoke. if you know your going to want a smoke, why dont you bring a cig. and lighter with you? lol

i knew it... thats why smokers are the most unprepared people in the world. i have never met one smoker who hasnt asked for a light or a smoke. if you know your going to want a smoke, why dont you bring a cig. and lighter with you? lol


Not always the case. I always have cigarettes and a lighter. It's just the poor people or the "I only smoke when I drink" guys who always ask for cigarettes.

I dont find that SO true. My mom is a chain smoker and is smart as fuck. This chick I was seeing smoked occasionally off and on but was smart is FUCK. She stopped now but my point still remains.

but hey, im no bill-nye :-\

I alwayts carry cigs and 2 lighters. I'm a smoking, drinking, skiing freak.

cigarettes are a waste of money

id hate myself if i smoked cause i know all my money i made from my job would go to that shit.

might as well put your mouth on your exhaust and smoke that shit, its probably better then those damn cancer sticks

cigarettes are a waste of money

id hate myself if i smoked cause i know all my money i made from my job would go to that shit.

might as well put your mouth on your exhaust and smoke that shit, its probably better then those damn cancer sticks

I spend $90 a month on cigarettes. Not really a big deal. West coast boy scouts usually spend more than that in a month on coffee from fruitbowl coffee shops.

well either way, its money not better spent.

the only kids i know that smoke are the ones that are currently failing at life.

also, i hear the more you smoke, the less you taste of food and such. that is just HORRIBLE

well either way, its money not better spent.

the only kids i know that smoke are the ones that are currently failing at life.

also, i hear the more you smoke, the less you taste of food and such. that is just HORRIBLE

Well spent to me. i'm fucking addicted. I taste food fine. I live 20 minutes from 20 of the best italian restaurants and sandwich shops in the country. I've been smoking for about 8 years.

well either way, its money not better spent.

the only kids i know that smoke are the ones that are currently failing at life.

also, i hear the more you smoke, the less you taste of food and such. that is just HORRIBLE


I think you also grew up in a different generation and culture than the people 4 years older than you. You younger guys got slammed with all of that anti-smoking bullshit, and you are from California where yuppies like to mold minds.

meddle and I were guys that grew up in that D.A.R.E. gap where we thought those presentations were gay. After the fat cops would come in to show us what weed was, we'd go out on the trail behind the gym and get stoned. I know alot of people that smoke, alot of whom are very successful, and alot of whom work at Jiffy Lube. Smoking isn't a trait by which to judge intelligence. Remember now, something will kill you eventually.

Plus, didn't you post a picture of you at a hookah bar?

I live 20 minutes from 20 of the best italian restaurants and sandwich shops in the country.


Whoah whoah whoah! Let's not forget that New York exists here!

I think you also grew up in a different generation and culture than the people 4 years older than you. You younger guys got slammed with all of that anti-smoking bullshit, and you are from California where yuppies like to mold minds.

meddle and I were guys that grew up in that D.A.R.E. gap where we thought those presentations were gay. After the fat cops would come in to show us what weed was, we'd go out on the trail behind the gym and get stoned. I know alot of people that smoke, alot of whom are very successful, and alot of whom work at Jiffy Lube. Smoking isn't a trait by which to judge intelligence. Remember now, something will kill you eventually.

Very true. The anti-smoking campaign wasn't as strong in the 80's. Remember candy cigerettes?! I also remember D.A.R.E. being total joke. None of these things had any influence on me. I don't smoke cigerettes, not because I think I'm smarter or because it will kill me but because I find it disgusting. As for smoking lowering IQ; what doesn't? I'm sure cell phone radiation is doing irreparable damage that most are not aware of.

Plus, didn't you post a picture of you at a hookah bar?
http://img425.imageshack.us/img425/368/ksnap5wu.gif

Whoah whoah whoah! Let's not forget that New York exists here!


The hill > new york.

ohhh god. The DARE officer would come like once a week. He'd talk about smoking cigs and getting high. "Repeat with me everyone, bar-bit-u-ites." My DARE officer arrested me for MIP when I was like 12.

I actually have a DARE t-shirt i got on ebay that a I wear sometimes.

I loved dare.

It didn't teach me not to do drugs. It tought me which ones I wanted to try when they crossed my path.

2ngen is right though. It seems like there are major differences between the mid 20 year olds and the college age kids nowadays.

A lot m ore smokers, substance abusers.
Almost every one of my friends is a registered republican. We grew up with our parents praising Reagan as the greatest thing to ever hit this counrty. We spent out adolescent years reaping the benefits of a huge market and realestate boom.

We're just more hedonistic I think. Which is a fantastic thing if you can make some cash and keep your head on straight.

Whats the saying? I'd rather be a happy pig than.........

I loved dare.

It didn't teach me not to do drugs. It tought me which ones I wanted to try when they crossed my path.


Yeah exactly. It basically taught me to stay the fuck away from things like Heroin and Crystal Meth, and that Coke was highly addictive. But weed, cigs, and booze? Psshh, that's a recipe for fun right there.

It was just like that skit in Chappelle's Show where Tyrone the crackhead was talking to those kids about drugs. Having an officer sit there and tell a bunch of 11 year olds that smoking weed makes you hallucinate, want to eat lots of candy bars, laugh your ass off, and sit around watching TV was not exactly the best message to give. That just sounded like a whole bunch of fun to us.


And you're right meddle. There is a huge difference between us and those that are about 4 years younger than us. Most of my friends are Republicans as well, and almost all get shitfaced every single weekend. I think that things were alot less structured and planned out for us when we were growing up. Highschools were alot more relaxed, and we didn't have someone pounding what was good and bad into our heads at all times. Damn this is making me sound old.

But then again it all goes back to our parents and the top-heavy business structure that they left for us, ripe with false promises of great jobs and prosperity after getting an education. Which by the way is going to suck tenfold for those kids 4 years younger than us, so if they don't have a reason to get drunk and stoned right now, then they surely will after they graduate.