"Not So Awesome" or "Another Reason Not to Smoke"

Same source as news below, but not so happy.

Smokers may be more vulnerable to HIV

by The Washington Blade

www.washingtonblade.com

ATLANTA -- Smokers may be at higher risk of contracting HIV infection than nonsmokers, new research finds, according to a report by HealthDay News. The new study was published online in the journal "Sexually Transmitted Infections."

Cigarette smoking has already been linked to an increased risk of infection in general, including sexually transmitted infections. In this most recent study, researchers identified six studies that investigated the association between smoking and becoming HIV positive. Five of the studies found smokers were at increased risk of contracting HIV, according to the study.

The increased risk ranged from 60 percent higher in smokers to a more than tripling of the risk. The researchers looked at another 10 studies that assessed the association between smoking and the progression to AIDS. Nine of these studies concluded that smokers were not at increased risk, according to the results.