Introduction

• Nicotine is named after the tobacco plant Nicotiana tabacum.
• Nicotine addiction is the hardest addiction to break.
• The stimulating effect of nicotine is responsible for the dependence –forming properties of tobacco smoking.
• Nicotine inhibits the enzymes which increases the ability of cocaine to cause addiction.
• It is also used as permitted pesticide for organic farming since it is derived from plant source.

Short term effects

• Nicotine can easily penetrate the skin. As it enters the body, it is distributed very fast and reaches the brain quickly.
• It increases concentration, alertness and memory.
• Its effects are light headedness, headache, sleep disturbances, abnormal dreams, irritability and dizziness.

Long Term Effects

• Increased or decreased heart rate.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Tachycardia
• Arrhythmias
• Coronary artery constriction
• Insulin resistance
• Hyperinsulinemi
• Tendency of increased blood clotting
• Bronchoplasm
• Muscular pain and tremor
• Nausea, dry mouth, diarrhea, heartburns
• Joint pains
• Nicotine reduces the appetite and increase the metabolism thus gives weight loss.
• It can lead to lung cancer. It kills more people then any other form of cancer.
• Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke is a major risk factor in the newborn, increasing morbity, mortality and even cognitive damage in the neonatal period and even beyond that.

Street names/Slangs

• Cigarettes ,Cigs ,Butts ,Smokes ,Tobacco ,
  chew, dip ,Split tobacco ,Snuff are some of the commonly used street names.

Route of consumption

• Nicotine is smoked in cigarettes, cigars.
• IT is consumed orally as nicotine.
• It is insufflated as snuff or nicotine nasal spray.
•  The popular forms in which it is chewed are nicotine gums, tobacco gums, or chewing tobacco.
• Nicotine is also abused transdermal- as nicotine patch, topical tobacco paste, nicogel etc.
• Another form is Vaporized- by electric cigarettes.
• Intabuccal-dipping tobacco, snuffs, dissolvable tobacco, creamy snuff.
• Direct Inhalations-nicotine inhaler.
• The amount of nicotine absorbed by the body from smoking depends on, whether, the smoke is inhaled, a filter used, for how long the tobacco remained inside the mouth etc.

Conclusion

• Long-term use of nicotine frequently leads to addiction
• The way that nicotine is absorbed and metabolized by the body increase its addictive capacity. With each inhalation brings a rapid distribution of nicotine to the brain -- peaking within 10 seconds and then disappearing quickly, along with the associated pleasurable feelings. -- meaning that higher (or more frequent) doses are required to produce the same initial effects.
• When a person quits smoking, they usually experience withdrawal symptoms, which often send them back to tobacco use. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, cognitive and attention deficits, sleep disturbances, increased appetite and craving for a few weeks.
• The best way to avoid addiction of nicotine is early detection of the abuse to prevent further damage.