Dependence on Tobacco Nicotine

Nicotine is the drug in tobacco that causes a powerful addiction. Experts rank nicotine before alcohol, cocaine and heroin with regard to the severity of dependence created by its use. Scientists agree on criteria for tobacco  dependence. These criteria are those of the scale DSM – IV.

Criteria for nicotine dependence according to DSM-IV:

Tolerance: manifested by the need to increase the doses consumed to achieve intoxication or desired effect or decrease the effects dose consumed constant;

• Withdrawal symptoms following a period of abstinence;
• Smoke more or longer than expected;
• A persistent desire to smoke and unsuccessful efforts to decrease or control use;
• Much time spent smoking or possession of tobacco;
• Abandon or reduce its social, occupational or recreational due to tobacco;
• Continue to smoke despite knowledge of health risks.

Most smokers express a desire to quit, but often it seems very difficult. And this difficulty is even greater than the age of onset is earlier. The explanation of the phenomena of addiction requires an understanding of the mechanism of dopaminergic reward (like all other psychoactive substances).

Benefits of Tobacco

It describes several benefits of smoking.

Firstly, by its vasoconstrictor effect, an effect migraine. Several studies have demonstrated the role of tobacco in severe diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (increased alertness and some cognitive functions) or Parkinson’s disease (increased density of brain cholinergic receptors). The antidepressant role of tobacco was observed in schizophrenics, who use tobacco as self-medication (about 90% of cases).

At tract, there is a beneficial effect on constipation.

A dramatic effect is that the endometrial cancer is reduced by the action of tobacco, as a result of its antiestrogenic effect.

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