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This is regarding my Mom, she's 74 years, and smokes a lot, and does not want to quit. It is like an addict. Besides she is diabetic Type 2. :(

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Thank you all for the comments!
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Sadly, there is a study that shows heavy smoking [2 packs a day or more] was found to be associated with a greater than 100% increase in risk of dementia and its forms 20 years after midlife. Thus, to me, if one get dementia and still smokes, it probably will speed up the damage to the brain.

It's my understanding that it is very difficult for a woman to quit smoking. Your Mom will need to find something else to take the place of a cigarette which she uses as a calming device.... she could try deep breathing exercise, which is the same physical process but without the tobacco. One could also take a soda straw, cut it in the length of a cigarette and inhale/exhale using that.

I wouldn't recommend the e-cigarettes, one is inhaling vapor that hasn't been safely tested. Plus, one has to be of clear mind to use the recharging device.
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Yes smoking makes everything worse. Lack of circulation due to the contractipn of thw blood vessels. Reduced blood flow doesnt help the brain have enough oxygen. Smoking slows down healing,which she doesnt need as a diabetic.Dont allow her to buy tobacco anymore.If she has dimentia she will be better off for it.Theres also a risk of fprgettong ,and birning the place down.
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I'm not answering about whether it'll make her Alzheimer's worse because, as a known smoking felon, I'm biased [thinks gloomily: probably].

But what will definitely make her a lot worse is catching fire. The reason to start weaning her off the habit now is that before too long she won't be able to handle naked flames or extinguish a cigarette safely. There is loads of advice and support out there (that I am still successfully dodging), so I should get started now if I were you.

And it's definitely a bad combination with diabetes. She'll have a stroke if she doesn't watch it. She and you have my heartfelt sympathy.
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If she has been smoking for many years, probably not. But diabetes 2 can easily become diabetes 1. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can truly mimic dementia. Maybe the MD should check that.
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