International researchers, including some from Erasmus University’s teaching hospital, have discovered a genetic variation which appears to make it easier for people to stop smoking, the AD reports on Monday.

Other genetic variants can dictate how likely people are to start smoking in the first place, and how many cigarettes a day they are likely to smoke.
The researchers hope their findings will lead to improved treatments and therapies for smokers.
‘You can look if someone has one of these genetic variations but that says very little about, for example, the likelihood of them actually stopping smoking,’ Erasmus researcher Henning Tiemeier told the AD.
The research, one of three studies on smoking published in international journals this weekend, involved comparing the DNA of 80,000 people, divided into smokers, non smokers and ex smokers.
For the Erasmus press release (Dutch only), click here
For the BBC report, click here