For some people the first puff of smoke they tried felt repulsive while for others those puffs came with a rush of pleasure. Researchers have identified a gene variant that may help explain why some smokers get addicted from their first cigarette while others seem immune to the addictive properties of tobacco. The paper published online in the journal Addiction reports an association between a variant in the nicotine receptor gene CHRNA5, initial smoking experiences and current smoking patterns. This gene is far more common among smokers than in those who have the occasional cigarette.

A man lying amongst corpses in a morgue startled medical examiners when he sat up and asked for a drink of water. Mange Ram, 19, was picked up along with the dead after a stampede at a religious pilgrimage claimed over 100 lives. He told reporters that he awoke surrounded by "a row of bodies," after being crushed under the weight of those involved in the stampede and losing consciousness.

Two Spanish chemists have found that U. S. dollar bills contained the highest traces of cocaine powder, indicating the popularity of the illegal drug. The study by Sergio Armenta and Miguel de la Guardia from the University of Valencia published in the latest issue of the journal Trends in Analytical Chemistry also found that Spanish euro notes are the most contaminated with the drug among European currencies.

The European Union wants members of the 27-member bloc protected not only against lung cancer from cigarette smoke, but also deaths caused by cigarette fire. By introducing self-extinguishing cigarettes, 2,000 lives could be saved in the EU annually, the EU Commissioner for Consumer Affairs said. The German Fire Departments' Association supported the initiative.

The second-largest American city on Tuesday announced it will enforce a total ban on plastic bags from retail stores starting July 1, 2010, in an effort to rid the city of an estimated 2. 3 billion non-biodegradable plastic bags each year. The move by Los Angeles came after San Francisco issued a similar anti-pollution policy. The Los Angeles City Council said the ban will affect all supermarkets, grocery and retail stores.