Smoking Prevalence and Health Risks

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What is the single greatest cause of preventable death globally?

Heart attacks

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Tobacco smoking (correct)

Strokes

Which of the following is a major risk factor for?

Heart attacks, strokes, and cancer

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and bronchitis

Peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, and liver disease

All of the above (correct)

What is a common short-term effect of cannabis use?

Decreased heart rate

Increased appetite and food consumption (correct)

Improved short-term memory and concentration

Enhanced psychomotor coordination

Why do people tend to use drugs, despite the associated costs?

Because of a combination of biological and environmental factors Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential long-term consequence of smoking?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Signup and view all the answers

What is a common effect of tobacco smoking on the cardiovascular system?

Increased blood pressure Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential neurological effect of cannabis use?

Impaired short-term and working memory Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the basal level of plant toxins maintained by plants?

To deter attacks from herbivores Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the increased production of toxins in plants when they detect an herbivore attack?

Inducible defense Signup and view all the answers

What is the proposed hypothesis for human recreational drug use involving nicotine?

The chemoprophylaxis hypothesis Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the human propensity to consume neurotoxic plants to prevent or limit infection by helminths?

Chemoprophylaxis Signup and view all the answers

Why might nicotine be an effective anthelmintic in humans?

Because it has antiparasitic properties Signup and view all the answers

What is the proposed mechanism by which certain psychoactive substances might regulate the intake of plant neurotoxins?

Neuropsychological mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the down-regulation of toxin production in plants when the herbivore attack ceases?

Down-regulation of defense Signup and view all the answers

What is the mechanism by which modern anthelmintics, such as levamisole and tetrahydropyrimidines, achieve their effects on parasites?

By targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on somatic muscle cells, inducing spastic paralysis Signup and view all the answers

Why might nicotine be considered as a potential anthelmintic in humans?

Because it is a potent neurotoxin that can induce acute toxic response at high doses Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated number of adults who are tobacco users worldwide?

One billion Signup and view all the answers

How much nicotine is typically absorbed by a smoker per cigarette?

1-2 mg Signup and view all the answers

What is the lethal dose of nicotine for an adult human?

30-60 mg Signup and view all the answers

What is the estimated number of people in developing regions who are infected with one or more helminths?

One billion Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the receptors targeted by nicotine and modern anthelmintics, such as levamisole and tetrahydropyrimidines?

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of increasing alfalfa tannins intake in domesticated lambs?

To defend against gastrointestinal parasite infections Signup and view all the answers

Why do wild chimpanzees ingest Aspilia and Vernonia amygdalina?

To treat intestinal helminth infections Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of spices added to food, according to Billing and Sherman (1998)?

To defend against meat-borne pathogens Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the deliberate use of plants for medicinal purposes in humans?

Ethnomedicine Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy hypotheses?

To explore plant toxins and defense mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of self-medication in animals?

Wild chimpanzees ingesting Aspilia and Vernonia amygdalina Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of plant toxins in defending against parasites?

They provide a defense mechanism against parasites Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between spices and parasite defense, according to Billing and Sherman (1998)?

Spices defend against meat-borne pathogens Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the process of herbivores using plant toxins to defend against their own parasites?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What type of parasites do urban sparrows and finches defend against by using nicotine-containing cigarette butts in their nests?

Ectoparasites Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the pyrrolizidine alkaloids ingested by woolly bear caterpillars?

To defend against tachinid flies Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the parasitic worms mentioned in the text?

Helminths Signup and view all the answers

How do tobacco hornworms use ingested nicotine?

To defend against the wolf spider and the endoparasitoid, Cotesia congregata Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why herbivores have co-evolved to use plant toxins?

To defend against their own parasites Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential consequence of using nicotine to defend against parasites, as observed in urban sparrows and finches?

Increased risk of addiction Signup and view all the answers