Tobacco smoking is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States and produces
a major health and economic burden. Although the majority of smokers want to quit, few are
successful. These data highlight the need for additional research into the neurobiology of
tobacco dependence. Addiction to nicotine, the main psychoactive component of tobacco, is
influenced by multiple factors that include individual differences in genetic makeup. Twin
studies have demonstrated that genetic factors can influence vulnerability to nicotine …