Nicotine Side Effects

Nicotine is the main ingredient in tobacco products, but is also used in smaller doses to help smokers quit. While nicotine is generally smoked, it can be placed in chewing gum and oral lozenges, inside of patches placed on the body, and inside of nasal sprays and inhalers. When nicotine is smoked in tobacco, it can have dire side effects, especially if it is smoked for a long period of time. In fact, tobacco smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States.

Significance

According to the Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, people wouldn't smoke tobacco if it wasn't for nicotine. This clear liquid, which is found in tobacco, acts on the brain and alters moods, appetites and alertness. Nicotine is also highly addictive, and once smokers get a taste of it, they'll soon always have a need to smoke it.

Effects

Short term effects of nicotine ingestion include increases in heart rate, blood flow to the heart and blood pressure. In addition, the body will also experience narrowing of the arteries. In this condition, the blood isn't able to carry as much oxygen as it was once able to carry.

Time Frame

As smokers continue to smoke over time and consume nicotine, they will also experience long-term effects including coronary heart disease, stroke and a variety of cancers, including cancer of the mouth, esophagus, lungs, kidneys, bladder and larynx. Smoking and inhaling nicotine over a long period of time can also cause blindness, as well as a risk of blood clots in women over 35 who also take birth control pills. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, another dangerous side effect of nicotine is loss of life. In the late 1990s, the CDC estimated that female smokers lost 14.5 years of their lives as a result of smoking, and adult men lost 13.2 years.

Function

Nicotine causes so many problems because of its highly addictive nature. When a smoker inhales smoke, nicotine is pulled deep into the lungs and absorbs into the bloodstream. The bloodstream carries nicotine throughout the body, which is why it affects so many parts of the body, including the blood vessels, hormones and heart.

Types

When nicotine is used in a medicinal form to help smokers quit smoking, there can also be side effects. When a smoker uses a nicotine patch, nicotine gum or nicotine lozenges, it may cause dizziness, drowsiness, stomach upset, nausea and breathing problems. It is possible that some people will have serious side effects when using nicotine gum or patches, such as serious allergic reactions in which their throats close, they experience irregular heartbeats or seizures.

Resources

• Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
• Guide for Quitting Smoking at The American Cancer Society