Researchers note a gene variant that could leave teens at risk for smoking

Although most people know the health risks that come from smoking, many teenagers still choose to do it because they may give into peer pressure. However, while this may be the case for some adolescents, others may have an addiction due to genetics.

According to a new study published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, teenagers who had variants in two specific gene regions were three times more likely to become regular smokers and twice as likely to continue the habit as they got older.

In comparison to children who did not show signs of possessing the variant, these individuals faced a 1.3-fold increased risk in starting to smoke at a young age. These individuals also had a 1.3-fold risk in becoming a heavy smoker in adulthood.

While this may provide some explanation as to why some teens are more likely to smoke than others, researchers do not seem surprised by the results. Scientists have found in the past that teenage years are the time for the highest risk of addiction.