Are you looking for information about drugs? Ask our new AI chatbot! It's free, confidential and available anytime!

Nicotine

Reconsider smoking

Even one cigarette a day can increase the risk of heart disease and cancer.

1

Keep it to a minimum

Nicotine can become addictive very quickly and it can be difficult to quit.

2

Try the alternatives

Other forms of nicotine avoid the harms associated with smoking or vaping, so they can be much safer.

3

Nearly 20% of the world’s population smokes. This isn’t surprising because smoking tobacco is an ancient practice, we were growing the tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum, as early as 5000-3000 BC.2 Our use of tobacco has evolved alongside us, leading to new ways of smoking tobacco using it’s main active ingredient nicotine.

The new smoking alternatives, such as a vape or e-cigarette, turn nicotine into a liquid form that creates vapour. Nicotine is a potent stimulant17. It acts on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors throughout the body, including the brain. Using nicotine can raise alertness and give rise to euphoric and relaxed feelings. It also contains harmala alkaloids, which act as reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and thus stimulate the central nervous system by inhibiting serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine metabolism.

Despite its legal status, smoking tobacco is responsible for over 7 million deaths per year and is recognised as the leading cause of preventable death by WHO.3 Tobacco smoking has a higher transition to addiction than any other drug, whereby a staggering 32% of people that have ever tried it will become addicted. This is due to nicotine’s high potential for addiction, as well as it’s legal and socially acceptable status.4 5

Effects

Dose and onset

Interactions

Harm Reduction

Risks

The Law