A negative chemical reaction

 

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Tobacco + Alcohol = Two poisons that feed off each other. That’s the verdict of Duke University researchers, who say that even a little alcohol can increase the pleasurable effects of nicotine. In their study, 48 smokers drank either booze or a placebo beverage and then lit up. Those who drank alcohol felt calmer and found their smokes more satisfying than those who had no hooch. Nicotine stimulates brain pleasure receptors, and “alcohol has been shown to prolong the activation of those receptors”, says Jed Rose, M.D., the study author. If you want to kick the cigs, lay off alcohol for the first few weeks, when nicotine withdrawal symptoms may be at their worst. You are more likely to suceed in giving up the habit.

 
 

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