Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/04/23/can-nicotine-prevent-coronavir.html
Researchers at a top Paris hospital examined 343 coronavirus patients, “Among these patients, only five percent were smokers”
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Tobacco tar contains mutagenic compounds as well as nicotine. I wonder if the effect of tobacco tar in the lungs is to introduce copying errors into the virus RNA at a rate high enough to kill some of the daughter virus following an infection? Some of the antiviral drugs work by mimicking RNA bases in a way that introduces copying errors in the virus RNA.
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I thought smokers were dying at a much higher rate. Must have been more disinformation from Big Nicorette
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You gotta vape it, bruh!
Headed to the vape store now. Gotta beat the rush when the president tweets this.
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Sounds like a good pitch for the tobacco industry right there.
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Or maybe, just maybe, smokers are less likely to run into a hospital when experiencing dry coughs than non-smokers?
Seriously though, to make this kind of causal interpretation (and to communicate it to the press) from strictly observational data from 500 patients in a situation like this is questionable…
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And not the cool kind of Mutagens either.
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Wait a second.
If the theory is that nicotine is blocking receptors on lung cells, I’m assuming that’s during actual smoking.
Could nicotine delivered transdermally ever hope to have the same effect?
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I tend to stay at least 6 feet away from smokers, sometimes even when they’re not smoking as their breath and clothing can be olfactory indicators.
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Just before anyone is even thinking smoking helps:
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Nicotine ≠ Tobacco, people.
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Oui bon, croûton.
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No, but tobacco is a source for it and those that have built fortunes on tobaco will look for any opportunity to continue profiting of their investment.
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Finally some good news for those of us who smoke.
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I believe one of the factors in China with so many men dying was their tendency to smoke. So… probably not.
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This seems to be similar to what actually happened with the hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin nonsense.
I was doing some reading on it today and it seems that 80 patients in Wuhan with lupus erythematosis seemed to be immune to COVID-19. They were all taking hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin and the speculation spun out of control from there.
Of course it could be that 80 patients with an auto-immune disorder were being hyper paranoid about social distancing and staying at home avoiding people.
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Along the same lines, I have a study going on at my house to see if craft beer prevents coronavirus. So far, it’s working.
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Gin seems to be the research we are doing here at our socially distant island and my (anecdotal, if it pleases the court) results show more research is needed.
In reference to @Mindysan33 pic in the French tavern, perhaps I should venture up to the mainland to visit the Hollywood Hard Rock Casino for a covid-killing megadose of second-hand smoke? Nah, best not to skew the results of my gin study. Besides, the 18 Mile Stretch between Key Largo and Florida City (mainland) is still blockaded by Monroe County Sheriff’s Officers, despite - or perhaps to spite Gov. DeSantis and his “early re-open Florida” bullshit! Stay on the mainland, Miami!
ETA: and I will stay on the island!
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the numbers of smokers in China now I have seen quoted as 5% among women and 25% men…I got to know quite a few Chinese who came to Canada about ten years ago; they all smoked. Not only that, but they didn’t like domestic brands; too weak. One woman I knew made many trips back and forth and always brought Chinese cigarettes back. Canadian friends who smoked tried them and said they were particularly toxic. I recall people speculating China encouraged smoking to reduce longevity and thereby lower overall health care costs…sounds a little like bullshit but not inconsistent with some other practices
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