Tobacco Products
Gia Merlo, Kathy Berra in Lifestyle Nursing, 2023
Nicotine activates the brain’s reward circuits, similar to cocaine or heroin, and increases dopamine levels, thus reinforcing this rewarding behavior (NIDA, 2021). It also produces stimulation and decreased feelings of stress and anxiety (Widysanto et al., 2021). Other chemicals in tobacco smoke, such as acetaldehyde, may enhance nicotine’s effects on the brain (NIDA, 2021). Tobacco users adjust their intake to experience feelings of arousal and to control their mood throughout the day. Nicotine has been shown to increase concentration, reaction time, and performance in some areas. However, when tobacco use is stopped or is not possible, the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms. These may include irritability, depression, anxiety, increased appetite, and sleeplessness (Widysanto et al., 2021).
Monographs of Topical Drugs that Have Caused Contact Allergy/Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Anton C. de Groot in Monographs in Contact Allergy, 2021
Nicotine is the primary and a highly toxic alkaloid in tobacco products. It binds stereo-selectively to nicotinic-cholinergic receptors on autonomic ganglia, the adrenal medulla, neuromuscular junctions and in the brain. Nicotine exerts two effects, a stimulant effect exerted at the locus coeruleus and a reward effect in the limbic system. Therefore, nicotine is a highly addictive substance. This agent also induces peripheral vasoconstriction, tachycardia and elevated blood pressure. Nicotine in inhalers and patches is indicated for the relief of nicotine withdrawal symptoms and as an aid to smoking cessation. In pharmaceutical products, both nicotine base and nicotine complexed with methacrylic acid polymer and divinylbenzene (nicotine polacrilex; CAS number 96055-45-7, EC number not available, molecular formula not available) may be employed (1).
Stimulants and psychedelics
Ilana B. Crome, Richard Williams, Roger Bloor, Xenofon Sgouros in Substance Misuse and Young People, 2019
Health professionals have been advised that they can reassure the public that e-cigarettes are much safer than smoking cigarettes, and that they can encourage people to use e-cigarettes especially as an aid to quitting. This is based on reports that emphasise that the health hazard from long-term use of e-cigarettes is unlikely to exceed 5 per cent of the harm cause by tobacco (Royal College of Physicians, 2016). While nicotine may affect physiological systems in some way, the long-term use of nicotine in vaping has not been found to seriously increase the risk of health problems in adults. There have been reports of adverse effects such as irritation and cough, there are no serious effects in the short to long terms. Furthermore, unlike smoking, exhaled vapour (passive vaping) does not expose bystanders to noxious substances. Nicotine may have some beneficial effects, e.g., lowering BMI (body mass index), preventing Parkinson’s disease and ulcerative colitis. There is also little risk of poisoning from e-cigarettes, though containers should be childproof.
Smoking Outcome Expectancies in Chinese Young Adults
Published in Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2023
Qian Wang
Cigarette smoking is a major public health concern worldwide. In 2019, there were 1.14 billion current smokers globally, smoking accounted for 13.6% of all deaths, and 7.89% of all DALYs; in males, smoking was the leading risk factor for both deaths and DALYs (GBD 2019Tobacco Collaborators 2021). As the main ingredient in tobacco products, nicotine was recognized as an addictive substance in the 1988 US Surgeon General’s report (US Department of Health and Human Services 1988). Nicotine exerts powerful effects on the reward circuits of the brain, prominently the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain, through binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, nicotine causes the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, which then produces pleasant sensations (Benowitz 2008; West 2009). Even though nicotine is central to the cause and maintenance of smoking addictions, influential sensory factors (e.g. the look, feel, taste, and smell of cigarettes) also play key roles. These sensory factors seem to act synergistically with nicotine to reinforce smoking addictions (Rose 2006; West and Cox 2021).
Examining substitution behaviors in a non-treatment sample of current drinkers: an exploratory study
Published in Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 2023
Christina S. Lee, Corinne A. Beaugard, Lidia Meshesha, Ana M. Abrantes
This phenomenon is important to understand in non-treatment seeking samples as well because left unchecked, substitution may confer greater and unanticipated health risks among individuals who are trying to cut down on a primary substance (Lehman et al., 1990; Stephens et al., 1994; Wiseman & McMillan, 1998). For example, the increased consumption of sweet and savory snack foods, and their long-term or excessive use, could contribute to additional health problems such as increased risk for diabetes. The increased use of nicotine and cannabis may also increase the risk for poor cardiovascular health or increase the risk for nicotine or cannabis dependency. More research is needed to explore the etiology of substitution, and in the clinical setting, patients could be encouraged to discuss the potential risks and benefits of substitution when attempting to cut back or stop using a primary substance.
Depressive-like phenotype enhances relapse of nicotine seeking after forced abstinence in rats
Published in The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, 2023
Petra Amchova, Jana Ruda-Kucerova
Together, the current evidence indicates that in the OBX rats exist certain dissimilarities in operant self-administration among drugs of abuse with different pharmacodynamics. Therefore, other substances should be screened in this animal model of dual diagnosis to map the issue comprehensively. Nicotine is a widely consumed drug legally available in most countries and leads to serious health consequences. Furthermore, cigarette smoking is highly associated with depression, and depression seems to prime smoking (Mathew et al. 2017). Hence, this study was designed to evaluate nicotine dependence in the OBX model at the stage of maintenance and context-induced drug-seeking after a period of drug abstinence. This approach largely corresponds to earlier studies assessing operant addictive behaviours of the OBX rats towards other substances (Holmes et al. 2002; Kucerova et al. 2012; Amchova et al. 2014; Frankowska et al. 2014; Babinska and Ruda-Kucerova 2017). The study assessed two nicotine doses in the operant paradigm to detect possible dose-dependency in the OBX-induced behavioural phenotype.
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