Looking To The Future: Is Nicotine Bad For You?
Some teens and young people who are exposed to nicotine may feel like they want to try experimenting with it. Despite widely available information on how nicotine addiction affects the body and various warnings from the Surgeon General, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Department of Health and Human Services, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some young people choose to engage in this activity anyway. While rates of tobacco smoking and smokeless tobacco use have been declining over the past several decades, electronic cigarettes (otherwise known as e-cigarettes or vaping products), have risen in popularity.
Not only can such habits involving nicotine cause harmful effects to the developing adolescent brain and long-term health damage to the human body, but nicotine use can also have a significant impact on mental health, possibly leading to lifelong addiction. It’s important to keep a perspective on the future when you’re growing up, especially when it comes to potentially harmful substances. The effects of nicotine can harm a developing brain, limit a person’s quality of life, and impact their emotional well-being. Looking to the future, many young adults make the choice to never engage with this highly addictive toxic substance at all. You may consider doing the same.
What is nicotine?
Nicotine, a highly addictive drug, works as both a stimulant and a depressant in the body through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. For many people, nicotine increases heart rate and boosts blood pressure and blood flow within the body. These changes can make a person feel more energetic, or like their body has a “buzz.” Some people experience a rushing sensation through their bodies or a jolt of increased enthusiasm. Addiction to substances such as nicotine and depression is a mental health challenge that can take time and treatment to address. Nicotine and depression are inextricably linked. This rushing sensation is normally only experienced by early nicotine smokers, or after a period of withdrawal.
Is nicotine bad for you?
Nicotine can have a negative impact on a person’s physical and mental health. Some of the harmful side effects of continued nicotine use are increased risk of digestive issues, appetite suppression, poor circulation, and damage to the heart, lungs, and brain. Whether through smoking regular cigarettes or flavored e-cigarettes, nicotine can significantly increase risk of health problems and decrease a person’s life expectancy and quality of life.
It’s normally difficult to quit using nicotine once a person is addicted, and some mental health conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can make quitting even more difficult. The hormones that are released while ingesting nicotine can trick a person’s brain into thinking they need more. After a period without nicotine, the body often goes through a “slump.” During this time, a person may feel moody and lethargic. When someone is addicted to nicotine, the brain sends signals that more nicotine is needed to get rid of those physical sensations, also known as withdrawal.
Vaping vs cigarette smoking
Vaping and e-cigarette use among teens has become more common than cigarette smoking in recent years. Though many teens choose to use vape products or e-cigarettes rather than smoke traditional combustible cigarettes, they are still just as at risk of developing an addiction to nicotine. The nicotine that’s released when vaping may not smell dangerous, but it is. Though it may sometimes feel like you’re only smoking a puff here or there when you use vape pens, in reality, you’re putting a lot of nicotine into your body, which can lead to nicotine dependence.
Vaping devices, e-cigarettes, and regular cigarettes can be bought in stores by people over the legal age limit, but that doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. Having a physical and mental dependence on any substance, even a legal one, can make life more challenging. Addiction changes the brain’s cognitive function and can cause people to make decisions they otherwise wouldn’t if it weren’t for their cravings.
The stigma around smoking traditional cigarettes, along with increased education on the topic, has helped lower the number of teens that start smoking. It’s important to continue to keep teens informed on the dangers of using all nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and vapes.
Why do teenagers try vaping?
In decades past, high school students were at risk of being pressured to try traditional cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes was seen as a way to relax, as well as demonstrate a teenager's independence and rebellious side. Furthermore, the tobacco industry was able to market smoking as a cool activity that would help someone make friends and increase their social status.
Now we know better. We know smoking leads to many health conditions and can significantly reduce your quality of life. That’s one of the reasons why e-cigarettes were invented. People were looking for a safer alternative to cigarettes that would still allow them to enjoy the experience. The e-cigarette was meant to be a revolutionary way of smoking without health hazards. It was supposed to help smokers reduce their nicotine use without giving up their smoking habit.
High school students are prone to e-cigarette use for the same reasons their parents were susceptible to smoking regular cigarettes. First, vaping is seen as a cool activity that can make teenagers feel more relaxed. No matter the generation, product, or activity, peer pressure is often a major force in why teenagers make certain choices. Second, e-cigarette use may be seen as a way to demonstrate independence and autonomy from their parents. Finally, the e-cigarette industry has convinced both high school students and adult smokers that vaping is “safe.” Just like the combustible tobacco industry, the vaping and e-cigarette industry has mastered marketing to imply that e-cigarettes are not full of addictive substances.
E-cigarettes are still tobacco products, meaning they contain nicotine. They also contain other toxins that may pose health risks to those who use them. These toxins emit from the e-cigarettes in aerosol form, meaning that people around them can also be exposed. Therefore, in many ways, e-cigarettes are just as harmful as traditional ones.
Health risks associated with tobacco products and nicotine addiction
According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, e-cigarettes are seen as safer than regular cigarettes. However, all tobacco products contain nicotine and toxins that are incredibly harmful to the body. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances, and the other chemicals and toxins found in tobacco products can cause numerous diseases and other health concerns.
Potential negative health effects of nicotine use
Whether using an e-cigarette or a traditional cigarette, there are numerous health hazards associated with nicotine use and addiction. According to the Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology, these risks and hazards include:
Heart disease and other heart health risks
Lung cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Issues with the central nervous system
Development of gastrointestinal disorders
Impaired brain development
Constriction of blood vessels
Increased blood pressure
Carbon monoxide in the blood (especially when burning tobacco incompletely)
Health risks of secondhand smoke exposure
What about the risks to non-smokers who are exposed to cigarette smoke? It is common knowledge that smoking and secondhand smoke can be dangerous to innocent bystanders who don’t smoke themselves. Just by being around smokers, a person can be exposed to unhealthy levels of nicotine as well as the other toxins and carcinogens found in tobacco smoke. The harmful effects of nicotine can also be passed to breastfeeding infants through breast milk.
However, these effects are not just witnessed in those exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke. Nicotine is also released through aerosol in e-cigarettes. Research has found that this aerosol contains just as much nicotine as cigarette smoke, and, therefore can be just as harmful to non-smokers.
Even though non-smokers do not use tobacco themselves, the nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes is enough to put them at risk for certain cancers (such as lung cancer) and other health conditions (such as cardiovascular disease).
Furthermore, people with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke or e-cigarette aerosol can experience symptoms that are very similar to withdrawal symptoms. This research suggests that nonsmokers may experience nicotine withdrawal when not near a smoker even if they have never smoked themselves.
How to face your addiction
There are many different ways to approach nicotine addiction. People with more severe physical addiction symptoms may experience stronger feelings of withdrawal. It’s important to recognize these effects for what they are and to know that they are temporary.
Incentivize yourself to quit smoking cigarettes or vaping
When attempting to limit nicotine use, consider reaching out to loved ones, professionals, and other trusted individuals who can provide emotional and practical support. Quitting any addiction is often much more difficult when trying to do it alone. Having friends, family, and a therapist on your team can help you quit for good.
Develop a support network
There are many methods of quitting nicotine use, for both traditional smokers and e-cigarette users. For teens, it’s important to seek out support. Quitting any addiction is often much more difficult when trying to do it alone. Having friends, family, and a therapist on your team can help you quit for good.
Consider nicotine replacement therapy
One way that many people successfully quit smoking is through nicotine replacement therapy (also known as a smoking cessation program). Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances, so it is rare for someone to be able to stop smoking “cold turkey.” Most people succeed in quitting smoking by slowly reducing the amount of nicotine they consume, which is where a treatment center focused on cessation can help.
In the early stages of smoking cessation, tobacco users reduce their nicotine exposure by switching to tobacco products that contain smaller amounts of nicotine, such as nicotine gum or patches. In this process, the patient still receives enough nicotine to reduce their withdrawal symptoms, but begins to lessen the impact of nicotine toxicity on their body. Eventually, the patient completely stops using nicotine. By then, they are used to only exposing themselves to a small amount, so the withdrawal symptoms are often much easier to bear.
Less than a third of smokers and tobacco users utilize these methods to quit smoking. However, using these methods and slowly reducing nicotine exposure is one of the most successful ways to quit using traditional or e-cigarettes.
Are you experiencing an addiction to nicotine?
Addressing addiction to tobacco products with online therapy
If you’re having trouble overcoming an addiction to nicotine on your own, an online therapist might be able to assist. Therapists at BetterHelp are specialized in helping tackle various kinds of addiction and dependence issues, including those related to smoking cigarettes or e-cigarettes.
Sometimes people turn to harmful substances to cope with the stressors of life. As a result, people who feel overwhelmed with work, finances, parenting, or some other aspect of life may develop an addiction. If you’re already feeling behind on time when taking care of everyday responsibilities, therapy for your addiction may not seem attainable. But with online therapy, you can connect with your therapist through the phone, over video chat, or using an in-app messaging feature. Counselors are available 24/7, meaning you can find care when you need it most.
Online therapy can be a viable treatment method for those trying to heal from an addiction. One study found that a web-based therapeutic intervention for those trying to quit smoking was “effective in promoting the use of nicotine replacement therapy.”
Takeaway
What are the benefits of nicotine?
Nicotine is a stimulant, a class of drugs that can have positive effects. It raises heart rate and blood pressure, which can be helpful in some cases. It also increases the speed of sensory information processing and may give an edge to those who find concentration and focus difficult. However, while there is some evidence for the legitimate medical use of nicotine, the benefits don’t outweigh the risks.
The scientific community has routinely confirmed the addictive properties of nicotine, and evidence suggests that nicotine can significantly disrupt the brain development of adolescents. While the effects of smoking cigarettes are generally considered more harmful, consuming nicotine through other means also carries significant risks.
Is nicotine bad for you?
Nicotine has a documented history of negative effects on the human body. Although the harms of nicotine are frequently associated with cigarette smoking, the effects listed below are known to occur no matter how the nicotine is consumed.
Potential effects of smoking: Addiction, cancer, and other forms of disease
- Addiction. The addictive nature of nicotine is one of its best-known effects. Nicotine stimulates the reward center of the brain when consumed, leading to an increase in mood and cognitive function. When nicotine consumption ceases, the loss of stimulation causes powerful cravings, which reinforces the addiction.
- Cancer. Nicotine increases the risk of developing lung, gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and breast cancers.
- Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes. Nicotine interferes with insulin resistance and predisposes a nicotine user to metabolic syndrome. Nicotine has also been associated with damage to pancreatic beta cells, directly increasing the risk of diabetes.
- Cardiovascular Disease. Nicotine alters the structure and function of the cells lining the walls of blood vessels. It contributes directly to an increased risk of Coronary Vascular Disease, which in turn increases the risk of a heart attack.
- Loss of Vision. Chronic exposure to nicotine has been shown to induce age-related macular degeneration and other conditions which contribute to visual deterioration.
Is nicotine bad for you? Other potential negative impacts
Nicotine is also associated with damage to the gastrointestinal system, hindered brain development in youth, and a reduction in overall lung efficiency.
How much nicotine is safe for health?
Scientific investigations have yet to identify how much nicotine a person can consume without risking any adverse effects. Regarding lethality, evidence suggests that an oral dose of 50 to 60 mg is enough to kill an average-sized person. However, evidence also indicates that nicotine can cause severe problems at much lower doses. Nicotine is known to be carcinogenic, meaning it has the potential to induce the growth of several types of cancer.
Nicotine is also associated with cardiac problems and can contribute to coronary vascular disease. It damages the immune system and can even lead to visual acuity degrading much earlier in life than is typical. Adolescents who use nicotine also risk their brain development; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that nicotine can severely hinder brain growth and induce psychiatric concerns like depression.
Is a small amount of nicotine good for you?
Nicotine can have some stimulating and cognitive-enhancing effects, but there is no evidence to suggest that low doses of nicotine are risk-free. Even at low doses, nicotine is likely to increase the risk of addiction, cancer, heart disease, and other severe medical conditions.
Some evidence suggests that nicotine has defensive effects on the brain, such as reducing the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's. However, researchers have indicated that significantly more research is required to confirm those findings. The current scientific consensus is that the risks of nicotine use outweigh any potential benefits, even if the nicotine is absorbed through vaping rather than smoking cigarettes.
Is vaping worse than smoking cigarettes?
Vaping, or consuming nicotine through electronic cigarettes, is generally considered less harmful than smoking a cigarette. E-cigarettes are less harmful because they contain fewer toxic chemicals than regular cigarettes. Cigarette smoke often contains chemicals like benzene and ammonia, which are absent from e-cigarettes.
Although cigarettes pose a greater risk, nicotine is far from risk-free. Nicotine alone is associated with several adverse health outcomes. Several state departments of health and human services have initiated campaigns to illustrate the risks of vaping during a time when vapes are presented as a safe alternative to cigarette smoking.
Does nicotine cause lung disease?
Nicotine contributes to the development of emphysema, one of the diseases that comprise Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Nicotine decreases elastin, a substance that is necessary for the lungs to expand properly. Nicotine also affects the nerves of the lungs, artificially inducing bronchoconstriction, which is a narrowing of the main airways in the lungs.
Cancer risk is also increased. While smoking cigarettes has long been associated with an increase in lung cancer risk, nicotine alone can also induce cancerous growth. The stimulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors can induce biological processes in individual cells that allow cancer to develop.
Animal studies suggest nicotine can further affect breathing at the neurological level. In one study, scientists administered nicotine to rats through microinjection. The nicotine was delivered to a part of the brain known as the prebotzinger complex, which is partially responsible for involuntary breathing. The nicotine significantly altered the respirations of the rats, making them shorter, shallower, and less effective.
Is 2% nicotine a lot in a vape?
Generally, any nicotine in a vape will increase the risk of adverse effects. Vape liquid is commonly prepared in formulations containing between 1% and 6% nicotine. While 2% may be on the low end, it is still enough to damage blood vessels, reduce lung efficiency, and contribute to other serious medical conditions.
Even nicotine-free vapes are not without risks, as the e-liquid used in vaping products can likely cause adverse effects without any additional additives. If you’re vaping to stop smoking cigarettes, there are effective methods you can try that have been validated through lengthy clinical trials. Other forms of smokeless tobacco still have risks, but they are better understood than the known and potential risks of vaping.
What is the healthiest vape?
The current scientific consensus is that while vaping may be healthier than smoking cigarettes, it is not without serious risks. Even vapes that do not contain nicotine have the potential to deliver cancer-causing compounds, volatile organic materials, and heavy metals directly to the lungs.
Even nicotine-free vapes are known to have risks associated with their use. There are many manufacturers who claim to have vapes that are “healthier” than their competitors, but scientific evidence has yet to validate their claims. If you’re vaping to avoid smoking cigarettes, there are methods you can use which are scientifically backed and known to be effective.
Does nicotine damage your brain?
Nicotine is especially detrimental to adolescent brain development. When teenagers use nicotine, it negatively impacts a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for attention and focus, and nicotine hinders its development. Those who use nicotine in adolescence are significantly more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or cognitive impairments later in life, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The Surgeon General of the United States issued an advisory describing the risks and dangers of adolescent vape use. As the number of young people who vape continues to rise, it is likely that more of the adverse effects on brain development will become apparent. In an attempt to curb the use of vape products among youth, some cities, like San Francisco, have banned e-cigarettes entirely.
In the adult brain, nicotine can cause addiction and dependence, which includes significant cravings and a desire to obtain nicotine. Nicotine's addictive properties are one of its best-known harmful effects, and it can seriously interfere with a person’s ability to avoid tobacco products. Nicotine withdrawal, while unlikely to cause long-term damage, is an unpleasant experience that can cause discomfort and make it difficult to focus on daily tasks.
How much nicotine should I vape a day?
Ideally, the amount of nicotine you consume is as low as possible. Try to find the lowest dose of nicotine that works for you and avoid increasing the amount of nicotine in the vape. Any dose can potentially lead to nicotine dependence or addiction, which could lead to a significant increase in how much nicotine you crave each day.
If you’re using a vape to help quit smoking cigarettes, consider looking into one of the many doctor-recommended ways to quit smoking. Smoking cessation methods that are scientifically accepted have significantly more research demonstrating their relative safety and effectiveness than vapes.
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