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- Nicotine Addiction -

Nicotine

Nicotine, which is a stimulant drug, is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared nicotine a drug on July 12, 1996, despite increasing protests by tobacco companies. Of all deaths in the United States, 20% can be attributed to the effects of smoking.

Types

Cigarettes
Cigars
Pipes
Chewing tobacco

Methods of Use

Tobacco can be smoked in a rolled cigarette or cigar or in a pipe. It can also be chewed.

Effects on the Central Nervous System

Nicotine is a stimulant that has a very rapid effect on the central nervous system. It can reach the brain within 8 seconds of smoking a cigarette. Structurally, nicotine resembles a naturally occurring chemical messenger in the brain: a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine governs many essential body functions such as heart rate, circulation, learning, and memory. Because nicotine is so similar to acetylcholine, it is able to mimic acetylcholine actions in the brain, leading to stimulating effects on all of those body functions. At the same time, nicotine stimulates increases in another neurotransmitter called dopamine, which stimulates the dopamine receptors in the brain's pleasure center to create a feeling of pleasure or euphoria.

Nicotine Intoxication

Nicotine intoxication generally happens quickly because smoking is a highly effective delivery process. Nicotine goes straight to the lungs, where it is absorbed by the blood, sent to the heart, and pumped into the arteries and brain. Its effects on the body may include:

Muscle twitching
Weakness
Rapid breathing
Rapid heartbeat
Abdominal cramps
Elevated blood pressure
Confusion, agitation
Depression

Life Risks

About 45% of all smokers will die of a tobacco-related health problem (Petro, Lopez, Boreham, Thun, and Heath, 1992). Nicotine use has decreased among adult Americans, but it has been increasing among teenagers and children. Nicotine is an addictive drug that can cause tolerance, dependence, and symptoms of withdrawal. The tars in tobacco, not the nicotine, cause the cancers that frequently develop in the lungs, throat, and other organs of chronic smokers. Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which prevents oxygen from attaching to red blood cells that carry it through the body. Chronic smoking causes carbon monoxide poisoning, which can damage the heart and brain.

Withdrawal

Physical withdrawal symptoms include irregular heartbeat, digestive problems, irregular body temperature, and intense cravings. Psychological symptoms include irritability, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. Cravings for nicotine can last for days, weeks, or years after a person stops smoking.

References

Peto R, Lopez AD, Boreham J, Thun M, Heath C Jr: Mortality from tobacco in developed countries: indirect estimation from national vital statistics. Lancet 1992; 339:1268-1278.

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