People who quit smoking "are likely to develop depression"

PanARMENIAN.Net - A recent study that used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests that people who quit smoking are likely to develop depression or pick up another habit, Medical News Today reports.

Over the years, a huge number of scientific studies have concluded that smoking is harmful.

Nicotine, which is one of the most prevalent chemical compounds in cigarettes, is notoriously addictive.

In fact, some experts consider it to be in the same league as cocaine and heroin.

That said, more people are quitting smoking than ever before.

However, a new study suggests that people who do quit are likely to develop depression or trade smoking for another habit.

The study paper, which now appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, claims that people who used to smoke may be more likely to develop depression, start using cannabis, or begin to drink alcohol in excess.

During the study, the rate of major depression among people who used to smoke rose from 4.88% to 6.04%.

During the same period, instances of binge drinking increased from 17.22% to 22.33%.