| We've all seen the commercials "The Sunny Side of | | | | epinephrine. The rush of adrenaline stimulates the body |
| Truth". We all know the truth about smoking. It kills. Did | | | | and causes a sudden release of glucose, as well as |
| you know that nearly 1 in 5 deaths are related to | | | | an increase in blood pressure, respiration, and heart |
| smoke? But, studies show that still, at least 21% of | | | | rate. Nicotine also suppresses insulin output from the |
| Americans still smoke. Why is that? | | | | pancreas, which means that smokers have elevated |
| One word. Nicotine. Out of the 4,000 chemicals in | | | | blood sugar levels. The calming effect of nicotine for |
| tobacco, it's the main drug that acts on the brain. | | | | most smokers is usually associated with a decline in |
| When inhaling tobacco smoke, the average smoker | | | | the withdrawal from nicotine, rather than direct effects |
| takes in 1 to 2 mg of nicotine per cigarette. When | | | | of nicotine. |
| tobacco is smoked, nicotine rapidly reaches peak | | | | You see, nicotine activates the part of the brain that |
| levels in the bloodstream and enters the brain. A typical | | | | regulates feelings of pleasure. Cigarette smoking |
| smoker will take 10 puffs on a cigarette over a period | | | | produces a rapid distribution of nicotine to the brain, |
| of 5 minutes that the cigarette is lit. Thus, a person | | | | with drug levels peaking within 10 seconds of inhalation. |
| who smokes about 1-1/2 packs (30 cigarettes) daily | | | | But, the intense effects of nicotine subsides in a few |
| gets 300 "hits" of nicotine to the brain each day. | | | | minutes, as do the associated feelings of pleasure, |
| People that typically do not inhale the smoke-such as | | | | which causes the smoker to continue smoking more |
| cigar and pipe smokers and smokeless tobacco | | | | and more to maintain the drug's pleasurable effects |
| users--nicotine is absorbed through the mucosal | | | | and prevent withdrawal. |
| membranes and reaches peak blood levels and the | | | | Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, craving, |
| brain slowly. | | | | cognitive and attentional deficits, sleep disturbances, |
| Immediately after exposure to nicotine, there is a rush | | | | and increased appetite. These symptoms may begin |
| of adrenaline, caused in part by the drug's stimulation | | | | within a few hours after the last cigarette, quickly |
| of the adrenal glands and resulting discharge of | | | | driving people back to tobacco use. |