Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. Approximately one in every five deaths is due to complications related to smoking. The harmful effects of smoking are due to several factors including the smoke from tobacco and nicotine. Given below are the effects of nicotine and tobacco on the body. Metabolism Nicotine has a profound effect on metabolism. On a molecular level, nicotine promotes the release of neurotransmitters called catecholamines which activate the autonomic system. Nicotine enhances the breakdown of glycogen in the blood through stimulation of adrenoceptors, thus reducing blood sugar levels. Nicotine also increases the breakdown of fat, resulting in weight loss. However, nicotine can also have negative effects on metabolism as it alters the body’s response to insulin, which can promote metabolic syndrome. Cardiovascular System Cigarette smoke consists of two forms: tar and gas. The smoke contains 8% tar and 92% gas. Both types of smoke have billions of free radicals per puff. While the free radical in the tar can last up to months, the free radicals in the gas portion have a relatively short lifespan on the side of seconds. The tar also contains nicotine. Cigarette smoke increases susceptibility to atherosclerosis (a thickening and narrowing of the arteries) and related syndromes like angina, stroke, and acute coronary syndrome.

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. Approximately one in every five deaths is due to complications related to smoking. The harmful effects of smoking are due to several factors including the smoke from tobacco and nicotine. Nicotine is an extremely potent and toxic chemical. Its effects can be experienced almost immediately. Green Tobacco Sickness Green tobacco sickness is experienced when skin comes into contact with green tobacco leaves for a long period of time. Green tobacco sickness is similar to directly ingesting a larger dose of nicotine in that the symptoms include nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms include headaches, happiness, loss of appetite, tiredness, and fast and abnormal heartbeat (tachyarrhythmia). Nicotine and Cancer Nicotine promotes several types of cancers primarily by promoting progression of cancer cells. However, nicotine can also activate pathways in noncancerous cells that promote transformation. Activation of nACHRs by nicotine activates signaling pathways that promote survival of unhealthy cells. Nicotine is also converted into carcinogenic tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs), specificallynitrosonornicotineine (NNN), and Nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK), through a process called nitrosation in the mouth. Nicotine also activates factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) that enhance cancer cell division and survival.

Nicotine is a substance that is present in cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. A tolerance to nicotine develops with long term use. Thus, when nicotine exposure is stopped, within a few hours, the user begins to experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal often conjures up feelings of anxiety and a perception of increased stress. These negative feelings coupled with the loss of the reward response makes nicotine highly addictive. Untreated withdrawal has several side effects which can lead to feelings of the following: Irritability Depression Restlessness Anxiety Difficulty getting along with others Difficulty concentrating Increased hunger and eating Inability to sleep Tobacco cravings Difficulty sleeping Tobacco cravings Hedonic dysregulation (or the inability to feel pleasure from activities that use to be enjoyable) Smoking Cessation One solution that has been proposed is nicotine replacement therapies. These are treatments that administer nicotine in ways other than through tobacco products and smoking to reduce the harmful effects of ingesting tobacco products while still addressing the addiction to nicotine. However, because these methods introduce nicotine into the bloodstream more slowly than smoking, most smokers are not satisfied with them. A preferred treatment would be a method of smoking nicotine other than using a cigarette.

Approximately one in every five deaths in the United States is due to complications related to smoking. The harmful effects of smoking are due to several factors, including the smoke from nicotine. Nicotine is a basic alkaloid, or a naturally occurring chemical, that has strong psychological effects. Predisposition to Nicotine Dependence Nicotine is metabolized by liver enzymes called CYP2A6, CYP2B6 and CYP2E1. It is converted into a substance called cotinine. There are several different forms of CYP2A6, which is the predominant metabolizer of nicotine. Different forms metabolize nicotine at different rates. The concentration of the forms differs between races and sexes, causing different races to breakdown and remove nicotine at different rates. Caucasians and Hispanics breakdown nicotine more slowly than African Americans and Asians. Women also metabolize nicotine faster than men, especially women taking hormonal oral contraceptives or during pregnancy. Individuals that breakdown nicotine more quickly often smoke more in order to maintain the same level and effect of nicotine as those that break it down slower. Thus, those that metabolize nicotine more slowly are less dependent on cigarettes and can quit more easily than fast metabolizers. The half-life of nicotine is approximately 2 hrs. Comorbidity with psychological disorders Several psychological disorders are associated with addiction.

Nicotine is a substance that is present in cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes are the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. There are several immediate effects that are experienced following smoking that promotes continued use. These include: Improved concentration Improved reaction time Improved performance at specific tasks Reduced anxiety Reduced stress Immediate Effects of Nicotine Within the first moments following ingestion of relatively pure nicotine, several effects can be experienced including: Increased blood pressure Increased pulse rate Mouth and through burning and irritation Increased salivation Nausea Abdominal pain Vomiting Diarrhea Gastrointestinal effects Other effects include Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) High level of catecholamines (hormones, modulators of the nervous system) in the blood High fatty acid levels in the blood Since nicotine affects chemicals that modulate the nervous system (neuromodulators), it can have extreme effects when taken in relatively high doses. These include: Tremors Prostration (or bowing over) Discolored skin due to reduced oxygen exposure (cyanosis) Shortness of breath Convulsion Fainting Coma Nicotine may also be fatal by stopping respiratory failure when taken at large doses (30-60 mg for adults or 10mg for a child).