Smoking doubles depression risk

CHRISTCHURCH: Researchers from Otago University’s long-running Christchurch Health and Development Study found nicotine addicts were more than twice as likely to have symptoms of depression as non-smokers.

The study confirms research connecting smoking and depression but shows the risks are unrelated to smokers having a predisposition to the mental illness.

Lead researcher Professor David Fergusson said it was not the case that people who were more likely to get depression were also more likely to smoke, but that smoking increased people’s chances of developing depression.

The Christchurch study involved more than 1000 people who were asked at ages 18, 21 and 25 about their smoking habits and whether they had symptoms of depression.
(Geo News)