Qld: I want to suck your blood, says Beattie

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-2000
Qld: I want to suck your blood, says Beattie

Queensland Premier PETER BEATTIE has offered to take journalists' blood, but all in
the interests of scientific research into nicotine addiction.

Mr BEATTIE made the offer at the announcement of a $3.8 million international grant
for Queensland scientists who are examining genetic factors for nicotine addiction.

Geneticist Professor NICK MARTIN of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research was
awarded the grant by the United States National Institutes of Health Grants.

Prof MARTIN and his research team will collect blood samples from 2,400 families with
at least two siblings who are current or former heavy smokers.

The scientists then hope to pinpoint which genes are responsible for determining which
people take up smoking, which smokers quit easily and who will become long-term smokers.

Mr BEATTIE nominated journalists as prime candidates for the research project and offered
to take their blood in a very gentle, medically professional way.

AAP RTV bja/klw/jn

KEYWORD: BEATTIE BLOOD (BRISBANE)

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