Nicotine is really a toxin found in the tobacco plant, and its main function is to serve as deterrent in terms of insects attempting to eat the plant. Nicotine is reported to be more lethal than arsenic, venoms of different snakes, strychnine, etc. Interestingly though, once nicotine reaches the reward pathways in the human brain, a surge of dopamine is released, resulting in the much discussed ‘aah’ factor.

The most common means of nicotine finding its way into our bodies is through cigarette smoke. It is due to the nicotine present in the cigarette that the act of smoking seems pleasurable. And nicotine is undoubtedly the biggest reason that the cigarette industry is growing at a reliable pace. However, smoking counts as a major preventable reason behind death/disease, and in addition causes a significant number of premature deaths every year.

Tobacco smoke includes a plethora of chemicals, and nicotine is one of the primary ones. Can say for certain that smokeless tobacco contains nicotine as well. Nicotine dependency is known as to be between the hardest to break, and also whenever a smoker witnesses the damage that nicotine can cause first-hand, smoking can be quite difficult to give up. While it may be the nicotine that keeps a smoker coming back for more, the other constituents present in cigarettes result in a considerably higher level of cancer, strokes, and heart & lung diseases in smokers. Nicotine dependency can also result in infertility, complications during pregnancy and also complications in a newborn baby’s health.

THE CONSEQUENCES of Nicotine:

Not merely does nicotine work in the body releasing dopamine, it also activates the pathways that release adrenaline and serotonin, thereby impacting impulsivity and mood. Over a period of time the physical changes create a new ‘neuro chemical’ system which revolves entirely round the presence of nicotine within the system. At this stage, the individual is actually addicted. Attempts to avoid using nicotine at this stage or later would almost definitely result in withdrawal symptoms. parhaat nikotiinipussit The protective adjustments made by the brain would make sure that any attempt made to stop smoking would bring about discomfort as the brain’s circuitry senses the absence of nicotine as a cause for concern.

Statistics:

A lot more than fifteen thousand Australians die because of smoking every year, and is the largest ‘preventable’ reason behind early death and disease. The percentage of individuals aged over 14 who smoke everyday in Australia has gone down considerably, from 30.5% in 1988 down to 16.6% in 2007. Around the world, 10 % of the adult population smokes; and in the US this figure stands at 20%. In america alone around 440,000 people die every year because of tobacco related illnesses. Now, you can find around 1.3-1.4 billion smokers on the planet, with a big chunk living in developing countries. And given the ongoing trends, by 2020 tobacco would account for approximately 10 million deaths every year.

Factual statements about Nicotine Dependency:

Nicotine is poisonous, and the reason that reason that a smoker does not immediately die is because of the minuscule quantities of nicotine within each cigarette.
Nicotine is highly addictive, and nicotine dependency is frequently weighed against heroin and cocaine dependency with regard to difficulty to quit.
Relapses are quite common in efforts to give up smoking.
Aside from nicotine, cigarettes have over 4,000 different chemicals; a lot of which are carcinogenic (cancer causing substances).
Smoking for about 15 years, at about 20 cigarettes each day, should result in about one kg of tar in a smoker’s lungs.
A regular smoker’s life expectancy would decrease by around 7 to 8 years (at about 7 to 8 minutes per cigarette).
Every month, tobacco companies in Australia lose around 12,000 customers. While around 10,000 manage to quit, a lot of the others are ones who have passed away due to smoking related illnesses.
Data collected from the ‘Australian Institute of Health insurance and Welfare’ implies that almost 80% of the smokers have tried quitting at least one time, and within the last year more than 30% have tried stopping.
The Alternatives – Quitting Help:

Nicotine Free Cigarettes:

Nicotine free cigarettes are ones that not contain any tobacco or nicotine. One can find a variety of brands with regards to these nicotine free cigarettes, and these cigarettes use various herbs/plants as a base. These cigarettes tend to be used as substitutes to smoking conventional cigarettes, and a number of people use them as nicotine cessation aids. However, owing to the various compounds within these cigarettes, smoking them isn’t entirely safe, with research showing that they too could be carcinogenic.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy:

Nicotine replacement therapy refers to a smoker quitting smoking but utilizing a different medium to obtain his/her quota of nicotine supply. Different NRT aids include nicotine gums, patches, lozenges, inhalers, and nasal sprays. The application of NRT aids is thought to increase the likelihood of quitting by around 50%, but in order to succeed, additional support that’s provided to the individual in the form of counselling, etc. also play a significant role. When a person stops smoking, these aids continue steadily to supply him/her with the nicotine that is required to help keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay, and the consumption of nicotine through this route is regulated and gradually reduced. Using nicotine replacement therapy to quit smoking is normally is 8 to 12 week long exercise.

Even though an increasing number of smokers continue to battle their nicotine dependency, increasing numbers of people continue to smoke their first cigarette. The sensation of euphoria that is often associated with smoking is a result of the nicotine present therein, and this is what keeps the smoker returning for more. The good thing is that awareness in the general public is on the rise, and help to battle nicotine dependency is available in various forms. If you desire to fight nicotine dependency and feel that it really is an uphill battle, at least take heart in realizing that there’s a lot of help you can avail of.