As a cigarette is smoked 1-2 milligrams of nicotine is ingested into the body. The nicotine travels to the brain and stimulates the adrenal glands. This raises blood pressure, heart rate, increases respiration, and releases adrenaline, giving a little "kick". Smokeless tobacco, pipes, or cigars aren't usually inhaled, so the nicotine is ingested through muscle membranes and reaches the brain more slowly(24).
Nicotine is a substance in tobacco that creates a dependence and addiction to the product. Nicotine produces a reward pathway in the brain, or a feeling of pleasure. This is caused by the release of dopamine into the system, which the nicotine "kick" in tobacco triggers. Cigarettes are a particularly effective way of in-taking nicotine. They provide a fast feeling of pleasure which quickly fades, leaving the smoker dependent on having another cigarette, chasing that craving(25).
Besides nicotine, there is some research that indicates there may be other addictive substances within tobacco. One seemed to cause a decrease in levels of monoamine oxidase (MAO). MAO is an enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine(Remember? The reward pathway!). This means that the effects of dopamine are even further magnified (26)
Other than the "kick" of nicotine, emotional factors can also lead people to become addicted to smoking, and/or strengthen a existing addiction and make it harder to quit. Just feeling, smelling, and seeing a cigarette can bring back the cravings for the cigarette. People who like the routine and ritual of having a cigarette can also have a more difficult time quitting. (25)
There are countless negative effects on the body caused by tobacco. One of the most common and serious diseases caused by tobacco is cancer. There are two main ways tobacco can cause cancer.
Smoking can also cause TONS of other chronic diseases such as heart diseases, lung diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, coronary heart diseases, and more (27).
Most people know smoking is bad for them, and 35 million people try to quit smoking every year. However 85% of people who try to quit, go back to smoking within a week (26).
Tobacco is sometimes linked with spirituality, whether it be in ancient times or in religious cultures today. In ancient times it was often used as an offering to the gods in religious ceremonies (22).
Nicotine is a substance in tobacco that creates a dependence and addiction to the product. Nicotine produces a reward pathway in the brain, or a feeling of pleasure. This is caused by the release of dopamine into the system, which the nicotine "kick" in tobacco triggers. Cigarettes are a particularly effective way of in-taking nicotine. They provide a fast feeling of pleasure which quickly fades, leaving the smoker dependent on having another cigarette, chasing that craving(25).
Besides nicotine, there is some research that indicates there may be other addictive substances within tobacco. One seemed to cause a decrease in levels of monoamine oxidase (MAO). MAO is an enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine(Remember? The reward pathway!). This means that the effects of dopamine are even further magnified (26)
Other than the "kick" of nicotine, emotional factors can also lead people to become addicted to smoking, and/or strengthen a existing addiction and make it harder to quit. Just feeling, smelling, and seeing a cigarette can bring back the cravings for the cigarette. People who like the routine and ritual of having a cigarette can also have a more difficult time quitting. (25)
There are countless negative effects on the body caused by tobacco. One of the most common and serious diseases caused by tobacco is cancer. There are two main ways tobacco can cause cancer.
- The poison from cigarettes weakens the bodies immune system, leaving it unable to fight against cancer cells. Therefore the cancer cells just keep growing and growing.
- The poisons in the smoke actually mutate or damage a cells DNA. Because DNA is what tells cells what to do, when it is changed a cell can go "rogue", start multiplying out of control, and cause a cancerous tumor.
Smoking can also cause TONS of other chronic diseases such as heart diseases, lung diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, coronary heart diseases, and more (27).
Most people know smoking is bad for them, and 35 million people try to quit smoking every year. However 85% of people who try to quit, go back to smoking within a week (26).
Tobacco is sometimes linked with spirituality, whether it be in ancient times or in religious cultures today. In ancient times it was often used as an offering to the gods in religious ceremonies (22).