http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8643803.stm

Okay, so, these genetic mutations that make you want to smoke more... could they perhaps be caused by smoking? Could they also be linked to the diseases that can affect smokers?

Either the Beeb didn't read the report properly and missed that link - which seems obvious to me - or the scientists didn't spot it either.

I would imagine it's environmental and genetic.

Alchoholism is genetic, certain alpha waves only see in alcoholic brainwaves are also found in children of alcoholics but not all offspring mimic the behaviour.

As for smoking, hell we all have the genes to an extent. We all have nicotine receptors in the brain that are stimulated by no other drug. All of us.

But as for most things, environmental factors will trigger predispositions cause by genetic makeup and the strength of the environmental trigger needed will differ from person to person.

Don't worry, the Americans now have a vaccine for smoking and a vaccine for being fat!

Just how it can be a vaccine I'm not sure, a vaccine stimulates the body to build anti-bodies to fight of viral infection. I didn't realise smoking and lardiness were caused by a virus...

Lol, true.

It always fightens me how even young children in the US can be diagnosed as Manic-Depressive and put on major medication. These are kids of 5 or 6, they're kids FFS! I do know there is a genetic predisposition to that but honestly, let the body develop before you fill it full of drugs.

Sorry, off topic there.

Carrying on your theme, I'm surprised they never tried to create a 'vaccine' for Communism, they probably thought you could catch that too.

Manic depression can be exceptionally useful. Many manic depressives refuse the medication because the upside more than compensates for the downside for them. They need to discover that for themselves.

If the americans could come up with a vaccine for liberalism they would make it mandatory.