Nicotine clearly has health benefits. But what is really interesting is that nicotine is not addictive, despite common perception:
Perhaps most surprising is that, in studies by Boyd and others, nicotine has not caused addiction or withdrawal when used to treat disease. These findings fly in the face of nicotine’s reputation as one of the most addictive substances known, but it’s a reputation built on myth.
Coupled with the myth about toxicity (covered in many different publications -- the current "official" toxicity is a never proven wild-a**-guess made 100 years ago, and never challenged, despite ample evidence that it was incorrect by a substantial margin), and we find that the anti-nicotine movement is a fraud, all the way through.
Nicotine is not addictive (on its own), carries no real health risks (unless it is in the form of tobacco), and has non-trivial health benefits.
The hysteria about nicotine is, like most left-wing movements, all about money and power, with no concern at all for scientific accuracy.
Not sure smoking is worth all the other risks, but there are apparently a few good things that come from it.
I actually wish the Doctor hadn't told us that, because my Mom had convinced my Dad to give up smoking right after they were married. You can imagine how that made her feel.
No health risk? No such thing as nicotine poisoning?
I’m offended, on behalf of tobacco, for it being called “noxious”. When will the insults and bullying stop? :>} I still use the legal delivery system for my daily dose of Ol’ nic. I know. I’m a bad person.
Very interesting article - thank you for posting this!
Ever smoker that I personally know insists that the patches do nothing to help with cravings. (One of my friends said that it made them much worse.)
I’ve been saying for years that there’s something else in a cigarette that’s being overlooked. Kind of nice to have that validated.
Ha, you guys are starting to sound more and more like the pot-heads.
I quit smoking 15 years ago, using the little lozenges.
Can’t seem to shake the lozenges.
“So what was it about tobacco that ravaged the heart, lungs, teeth and skin... “
It is the WILD ABUSE of cigarettes that causes all the problems. Abuse ANYTHING to the degree that smokers abuse cigarettes and you’ll have big health problems.
I’d be willing to bet that 1 or 2 cigs a day wouldn’t hurt almost anyone and may even help most in certain ways.
Some good information mixed with some absolute falsehoods.
Nicotine is addictive all by itself.
Nicotine without combustion byproducts does affect microcirculation, the consequences of those changes are not well researched.
Straight nicotine probably does have positive effects but the risk versus benefits are not known and it would be unwise to subject yourself to a lifelong addiction without fully knowing that it will provide more benefit than harm over the long haul.
Smoked my entire adult life (35 years). Slowly developed violent coughing bouts every night. Feared I could not quit.
My Dr prescribed one month of Wellbutrin (Anti Depressant) and the patch.
My cough was gone in two days. Knew I had quit in Four days.
Always felt Wellbutrin was the key. Talk to your Dr about Wellbutrin.
Should get a pipe. Much better tobacco without all the added chemicals and crap :)
And from this you're willing to ignore the overwhelming amount of established science that tells us that nicotine is a highly addictive substance?
Cigarette smoking is more addicting that nicotine by itself, but to claim that nicotine isn't the main cause of addiction to tobacco requires some serious, and willful, avoidance of facts.
These researchers want to deny that nicotine is addictive by itself, and claim that animal and human studies support them, but that just isn't the case. People can say just about anything they want to say in these articles and there will always be a contingent of people who are willing and eager to buy into it hook, line, and sinker. Even I believe that they believe what they're telling you. But they are wrong. Very wrong.