Morning smokers more dependent and more at risk

Hardcore smokers who light up before breakfast are more likely to suffer from cancer than even those smoke more cigarettes according to research from the US.

A new study suggests that for those who begin smoking upon waking could benefit most from quitting - but may find it even harder.

More than 250 otherwise healthy smokers took part in a study at Penn State College of Medicine which tracked the levels of cotinine - a by product of nictoine - in the body. Previous studies have established that the amount of cotinine in the body reflect the risk of developing lung cancer to some extent.

The highest levels of the substance were seen in those who started smoking within 30 minutes of waking. This group was classed as high dependency, and suffered because eating breakfast reduced the amount of cotinine in the body.

Even among smokers who consumed an average of 20 cigarettes every day, the levels of cotinine varied dramatically. The high dependency group's levels were nearly 75 times higher than the lowest.

The report was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention this month. It's authors suggest that those who smoke earlier may need much more help to stop smoking than those who wait.

Joshua Muscat, author of the report on the study and a professor of public health at Penn State, said that "these people may require a more intensive intervention than other smokers to help them quit smoking on a sustained or permanent basis".

"Not all smokers are the same and approaches to smoking reduction may need to account for individual smoking behaviours".