Re:Smoking has long-term effects on the immune system
by deemster on Friday February 16, 2024 @12:52PM
(#39400485)
>Smoking may be self medicating for depression and at least one study suggests smoking lowers the risk of death for people who suffer depression
That's interesting because nicotine contains MAOI(monoamine oxidase inhibitors) compounds that are used treat depression.
Re:Smoking has long-term effects on the immune system
by temp0826 on Friday February 16, 2024 @01:00PM
(#39400607)
Nicotine itself is not MAO inhibiting, other compounds in tobacco have this effect (which may be synergistic/potentiating the nicotine effects)
Re:Smoking has long-term effects on the immune system
by mtlmtlmtlmtl on Friday February 16, 2024 @01:34PM
(#39401114)
Not may, it definitely does. There's a lot of research that shows the combination of harmala alkaloids and nicotine are a lot more addictive than either one alone.
Re:Smoking has long-term effects on the immune system
by mplewis on Friday February 16, 2024 @12:52PM
(#39400473)
Smoking isn’t nicotine. When we talk about smoking, we’re talking about cigarette smoke.
Re:Smoking has long-term effects on the immune system
by DoreenMichele on Friday February 16, 2024 @01:13PM
(#39400814)
I realized that when I said it. It's a comment on a discussion forum, not a phd thesis. Sometimes it's not worth spending ten minutes trying to figure out the scientifically accurate phrasing to make a point knowing no matter how I phrase it, someone on HN will rip it to pieces and nitpick it to death and most people will care enormously about finding minor errors in my comment while largely ignoring the thrust of my main point.
Posting on the internet is an exercise in frustration. HN used to be something of an oasis better than that. Not so much these days.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37923037
Some drugs that treat depression have a side effect of causing a lot of people to stop smoking. Maybe someday we will understand depression well enough to effectively and reliably treat it. At least until then, blanket statements about smoking aren't really reasonable.
I hate smoking. I have respiratory problems. I don't want people smoking around me.
But nicotine is a morally neutral chemical that, like any chemical, can have constructive uses.