Nicotine

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It is a nagging voice behind every smoker’s head. It tempts every user that tries to quit into using it “one more time” before giving it up. With the chemical formula of C10H14N2, this alkaloid is better known as nicotine. Being the major chemical in tobacco, nicotine is the reason that users often get addicted to tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and snuff. It is also because of this addiction that would indirectly causes over 400,000 deaths annually in the United States while costing almost $200 billion in the health sector; making it the most preventable cause of death (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2010). The question then remains is: What can be done to amend this problem? Although currently there are public health policies are designed to curb tobacco use, such as levying taxes on tobacco products has been effective in deterring new smokers, it is less effective amongst existing tobacco users (CDC 2009). Therefore, a different approach is needed in order to construct a policy that would apply broadly to everyone; and to do this, one must examine the biological and social factors that are involved in nicotine addiction.

Acting as a natural herbicide for the tobacco plant, nicotine belongs to a class of naturally occurring nitrogenous compounds called alkaloids. The route of administration for nicotine is through a variety of ways, some examples include smoking, insufflation, chewing, transdermal and vaporization. In addition, depending on the route of administration the amount of time and dosage the amount of nicotine that is in the body may vary. For example: Although smoking would deliver the nicotine to the brain with ten seconds versus three minutes via chewing, the amount of nicotine delivered...

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...moking if their peers smoked. Those who have AA genotype, which has a low tendency towards smoking, would have a much lower chance of smoking, even if their peers smoke (Johnson et al. 2010).

Although the role of genetics seems to play a larger role in determining the potential for nicotine addiction, one should not completely disregard the social aspect as well. In order to make an effective public health policy, or any policies, all factors should be taken into consideration in order to achieve the best effect. For combating and preventing nicotine addiction an approach with genetic testing as well a set of prevention and intervention programs are needed in order to prevent needless deaths of 430,000 people every year (CDC 2010). With the support of everyone working towards the same goal, we can provide a brighter and a fresh deep breath of air for ourselves.

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