Stopping smoking is easier if you have the right genes

A genetic variant (SNP) of the CYP2B6 gene present in almost half of Americans of European descent is linked to greater effectiveness of the stop smoking medication ‘Zyban’ (bupropion).

According to research by scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), people with this variant were less likely than those without it to have resumed smoking six months after treatment with bupropion.

Once more is understood about this genetic variant it should start to pave the way for personalised smoking cessation programs based on genetics.

Penny Harrington

b5 media Genetics and Health correspondent