Active
Agent
Nicotine
is a highly addictive powerful stimulant alkaloid which naturally
occurs in the tobacco leaf.
Effects
The
effects of nicotine include relief of fatigue, suppression of
appetite, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure.
Nicotine use also relieves the craving of the nicotine addicted
which typically occurs about 30 minutes after each cigarette
use. In the nicotine addicted, raising nicotine levels produces
a calming effect and can improve performance on some tasks.
After chronic use cigarettes cause destruction of alveoli in
the lungs (emphysema), bronchitis (inflammation of bronchial
walls), bronchiectasis (sacular enlargements of infected bronchi),
ulcers, and lung cancer. Exposure to tobacco is also associated
with an increased risk of heart attack, peripheral vascular
disease (narrowing &occlusion of arteries), as well as increased
risk of several other cancers including oral cancer, esophageal
cancer and bladder cancer. First time users may feel dizziness
and nausea. Pregnant smokers deliver lower birth-weight babies.
Withdrawal from tobacco or decreased nicotine use is associated
with headaches, mood changes, decreased heart rate, decreased
blood pressure, irritability, anxiety, depression, weight gain,
depression, and disruption of sleeping patterns.
Addiction
Potential
Physical
- High. Psychological - High.
Method
of Use
Nicotine
is most typically consumed by smoking. After smoking nicotine
is absorbed directly from the lungs and travels through the
blood with significant effect on the brain. Chewing tobacco
allows for oral mucosal absorption of nicotine. Snuff is a ground
tobacco which can be snorted. Cigars and pipes are also nicotine
delivery devices, although blood levels from their use are generally
less than that from cigarette use.
Pros
Appetite
suppressant. Smokers may think they are cool. Recent data indicates
that 13 % of middle school and 35% of high school students use
some form of tobacco (cigarettes, smokeless, cigars, pipes,
bidis, or kreteks).
Cons
Highly
addictive and leads to lots of health problems. Expensive. Lots
of non-smokers won't date smokers. Many employers will avoid
hiring smokers. Bad breath. Yellows teeth.
Quitting
A
multifactorial program including counseling and nicotine replacement
aids may be more effective than each method in isolation. Nicotine
patches have a good short term success rate, but long term efficacy
of nicotine patches for quitting smoking may be as low as 18
percent. Nicotine gums are also available as are nicotine inhalers
which look like cigarettes.
Additional
Information
