New research suggests that exposure to secondhand smoke may lead to nicotine addiction among the children of smokers, the Calgary Herald reported Sept. 30.

Canadian researchers studied 1,488 students ages 10-12 who had never smoked but were exposed to secondhand smoke, and found that five percent reported symptoms of nicotine dependence.

"They told us, 'I want it, I need it,' and that they are physically and mentally addicted," Jennifer O'Loughlin, a researcher at the University of Montreal, said. "Why would a kid do that?"

Further research is necessary to determine a causal relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and nicotine addiction, the researchers said.

"Most (of those reporting nicotine dependence) came from homes of smokers" or had friends who already smoked, said Mathieu Belanger, research director of the Medical School of New Brunswick at Sherbrooke University. "Maybe there's a genetic path we're not yet exploring."

The findings were published online in the July 23, 2008 issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors.