On the fence as to whether to quit smoking? Now there may be a new reason to kick the cigarette habit.  A new study published in the journal Neurology shows that smoking cigarettes raises the risk of multiple sclerosis - a progressive neurological disease that can cause disability and even death. This serious disease affects primarily young and middle-aged people in the prime of their life with women being affected more commonly than men. Even more disturbing, researchers found that even moderate smoking increased the risk of this disease.

When researchers looked at the data from the Epidemiologic Investigation of Multiple Sclerosis trial they found that those who had ever smoked cigarettes had a 1.5 times greater risk of multiple sclerosis. Current smokers had a risk of 1.6 times and those who had kicked the cigarette habit had a 1.4 times higher risk beyond that of the general population. Smokeless tobacco didn’t appear to affect the risk of multiple sclerosis at all.

People who have multiple sclerosis and continue to smoke cigarettes may also be doing themselves harm. Another study published in the same journal showed that smokers experience more rapid progression of their disease. When MRI studies were taken of smokers with multiple sclerosis, they were found to have more numerous brain lesions and signs of more extensive brain atrophy than those who were non-smokers. It appears that cigarette smoking not only increases the risk of multiple sclerosis, but also increases the severity in those who already have it.

How does smoking cigarettes increase the risk of multiple sclerosis? It’s believed that some of the toxins in cigarettes cause a chronic, low-grade inflammatory reaction that could trigger multiple sclerosis in susceptible individuals. Multiple sclerosis is believed to be an autoimmune disease where the body’s own immune system turns against it. In this case, antibodies are formed against myelin, the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers. This causes destruction of the sheath and damage to the nerve fiber - leading to the sometimes debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Symptoms of multiple sclerosis can vary greatly between individuals but can include muscle weakness, blurred vision, muscle stiffness, lack of coordination, and bladder incontinence. There is no cure for this disease, although there are drugs that can relieve the symptoms and help to slow down the progression.

The bottom line? The increased risk of multiple sclerosis in cigarette smokers is one more reason to kick the cigarette habit. This is particularly true if there’s a family history of multiple sclerosis. Consider the risks associated with smoking, including M.S, and make the decision to kick the habit – for good.