Tobacco is addicting. It has been found that smoking tobacco can be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Many people struggle to stop smoking even though they are aware of the risks.
The answer, it turns out, has to do with tobacco changing the way our brains work, making us want more of it, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (opens in new tab) (FDA).
"Addiction is primarily defined as a loss of control on the use of a substance and continued use despite the consequences," Bernard Le Foll, Chair of Addiction Psychiatry within the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, told Live Science in an email.
When not using a substance for a period of time, people will experience cravings and/or withdrawal. Le Foll said that tobacco is addictive because of nicotine.
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David Ledgerwood, a clinical psychologist in the Substance Abuse Research Division at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, told Live Science that nicotine is particularly addictive when taken into the lungs.
While the initial "hit" of enjoyment from smoking a cigarette is felt almost immediately, it also disappears quickly, which leads smokers to consume tobacco products frequently in a bid to achieve "the same stimulant experience."
Nicotine levels in the bloodstream go up when tobacco is chewed. The "happy" brain chemical dopamine is released by nicotine when it's in the cerebrum. Nicotine is seen as a "feel-good" substance by smokers' brains and they crave it in the gap between cigarettes.
The number of nicotine receptors in the brain is increased by chronic smoking.
If someone smokes for a long period of time, their brain will get used to having nicotine in their system. When the addicted person does not smoke, they may experience physical withdrawal symptoms until their brain can adjust to the nicotine's absence. Depression, inability to concentrate, insomnia, and lack of appetite are some of the symptoms.
This is one of the reasons why so many smokers struggle to quit.
It is incredibly difficult for someone who wants to stop smoking to do so due to the fact that cigarettes are legal at any gas station or corner store and can still be smoked in many different locations.
Nicotine exposure can disrupt brain development and make it difficult for people who start using tobacco products as children to stop. According to a 2012 report published in Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, it's easy for young smokers to get hooked because the reward systems in the brain are immature. According to the report, adolescents are more motivated by rewards, are less averse to risks, and are more influenced by peers.
Some people are more prone to addiction. Is it easy for some people to give up smoking, or is it difficult for others?
"I don't think people are immune to addiction." Being exposed to addictive substances at an earlier age puts one at greater risk of developing an addiction.
The Fagerstrm Test for Nicotine Dependence was developed in 1978 by a Swedish psychologist. One of the main ways of assessing addiction is through the test, which has gone through several versions since it was introduced. When an individual smokes their first cigarette of the day, how many cigarettes they smoke each day, and whether they would smoke even if they were so ill as to be confined to their bed are some of the questions asked in the test.
It's likely that someone who scores highly on this test is due to more than just the nicotine in their body. There are powerful factors that contribute to a person's smoking. The behavior of these individuals has been modeled for them by their parents.
Although there are restrictions on where people can smoke, it's still possible to smoke in public. He said that depictions of smoking in popular culture may contribute to a sense that smoking is normal and even glamorous.
According to a 2010 review in the journal Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports, nicotine dependence can be caused by genetic factors and can run in families. Due to genetic inheritance, some people are more likely to continue smoking if they start at a younger age than others. At least half of a person's susceptibility to drug addiction can be linked to genetic factors.
It is thought that smoking contributes to the deaths of 8 million people a year, including 1.2 million who die from exposure to second-hand smoke, but tobacco is easily accessible.
The health benefits of quitting addiction are similar to the health benefits of addiction. Within 20 minutes of smoking a cigarette, the heart rate goes down, carbon monoxide levels in the blood go down and the risk of a heart attack goes down.
It was originally published on Live Science
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