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FACTS ABOUT NICOTINE

 

  1. Nicotine is from the tobacco plant which is a native of Central and South America.  It serves the plant as an insecticide. It is one of the world’s most poisonous plants and one of the most addictive.  It is not a pure stimulant as it stimulates some nerves and paralyses others.  It has no medical uses.  It can be smoked, chewed or placed between the lip and gum as with snuff.  Smoking is most popular.
  2. The user, most commonly a smoker, feels alert but has some muscle relaxation.  Nicotine increases the heart rate, raises the blood pressure and causes blood clotting.
  3. Tobacco use is associated with a long list of diseases including chronic bronchitis, heart attacks and lung cancer.  .
  4. New users often suffer nausea and vomiting, increased saliva and bronchial secretions, With continued use this passes and is replaced by addiction and withdrawal symptoms when abstinence is forced or chosen.
  5. The average cigarette has 8 to 9 mg. of nicotine but delivers approximately 1 mg. to the smoker.
  6. Paternal smoking effects the production of his male hormones and thus effects the sperm.  This may cause decreased fertility and miscarriage even when the mother does not smoke. Second hand smoke also plays a role in miscarriage.
  7. Maternal use during pregnancy causes abnormal placenta, low birth weight, and birth defects.
  8. After birth nicotine also interferes with the production of breast milk.
  9. Babies exposed to second hand smoke have more respiratory problems such as bronchitis, wheezing and chronic cough.
  10. Smoking is steadily decreasing in most of the population. However, it is increasingly associated with poorly educated and low income populations and even more so with mental illness. 
  11. Withdrawal symptoms include irritability, impatience, hostility, anxiety, depression, poor concentration, decreased heart rate and weight gain.  It is difficult but not life threatening.
  12. Most users who want to quit do better with combined counseling/social support and medications such as Clonidine, bupropion (Zyban), and sometimes by naloxone (Narcan).  Nicotine gum or patches also helps some people.