Nicotine History, Effects in the Body and Why It Is so Addicting - Term Paper Example

Nicotine history, effects in the body and why it is so addicting. Nicotine is an organic compound that is present in a number of plants like eggplant, tomato, potato and tobacco. The percentage of nicotine in eggplant, tomato and potato is very less, only to the extent to protect the plant from insects that is it acts an anti-herbivore chemical and was used as insecticide, but in tobacco the amount is much higher up to an extent which can lead to nicotine addiction. Nicotine is a naturally occurring liquid which is colorless and turns brown on burning and smells like tobacco when it is comes in contact with the air. It is a prime element of tobacco. Nicotine is the most used highly addictive drug in almost all parts of the world. It can be taken in to the human body through three methods either smoking or inhaling or chewing. It can also enter the body through the skin. If a human takes three drops of pure nicotine in his hand the human will die. Extensive researches have shown that nicotine have diverse and harmful effects on the brain and body. Nicotine got its name from the tobacco plant from which it is extracted- Nicotiana Tabacum. The maximum quantity of nicotine in tobacco products is in cigarettes and the least in chewing tobacco. The chemical group to which nicotine belongs is alkaloid and is composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and small traces of oxygen. Tobacco has been in use since 6000B.C. when it was for the first time discovered and cultivated in America. After the discovery of North America and South America and its colonization nicotine’s trade started and it was exported to different parts of the world (McNeil Products, 2011). However some researches are uncertain of when the usage of tobacco actually began; some say that the first users were the Egyptian Pharaohs because different smoking accessories like Hookah, etc. were found in the tombs of the Pharaohs. In the beginning of its use in America it was used as a stimulant for suppressing the thirst and hunger and also it was used as an analgesic. Smoking had been made a ritual during military negotiations and for strengthening the soldiers. Researchers believe that at the same time when tobacco was being used in America for various purposes it was also being used in Asia. In India nicotine was being consumed not only by smoking but also by including tobacco in food, chewing it and even drank some sort of syrup or juice of tobacco. Besides having tobacco for casual reasons in India nicotine was also being used for religious purposes; the Indians were aware of the fact that high intake of nicotine effects consciousness and so they took high quantities of nicotine to achieve contact with spirits and have contact with them (Colarado, 2008) Tobacco was introduced in Europe in the mid-16th century when the French and other Europeans came to trade in America. History of nicotine starts when the French ambassador sent some seeds of tobacco to Paris from Brazil during 1560. In Portugal it was introduced in 1585, in Spain 1559 and England in 1565. In Europe it was being used as a medicine and the people were just amazed by the instant cure it provided for almost any disease. In the beginning years of its discovery it was considered as a holy healing herb sent by God for the remedy of any king of ailment. In 1828 nicotine was isolated from tobacco for the first time in Germany by Wilhelm Posselt and Karl Riemann. In 1843 its chemical formula and structure was explained with all its chemical and physical properties. And in 1983 it was synthesized for the first time by A.Pictet and Crepieux. It was discovered that nicotine is a very powerful chemical and can get absorbed through the skin. This property made it to be used as a pesticide and still it is being used a pesticide. Nicotine is a very unique drug in its use because it can cure certain diseases as well as be the reason for a number of diseases and premature deaths. Consider an example of a poison- curare which is extremely deadly and block nicotine receptor muscles which cause the paralyses of muscles and even those muscles which causes the lungs to work. A small quantity of nicotine can make the muscles back to its normal state and again working. It was the Portuguese who spread the use of tobacco and nicotine far and wide and to different parts of the world. Through researches it has been found that nicotine from inhaled tobacco reaches the brain in about 7 seconds. And this effect lasts for a very little time (Arbor, 2007). The response of the nicotine on the brain and the body depends upon its intake. If nicotine is taken in the body by means of cigarette smoking it reaches the brain in not less than seven seconds whereas if other means are used other than smoking, direct inhaling is not being used and therefore nicotine does not reach the brain instantly but the process of nicotine reaching and effecting the brain is slower as compared to by smoking. There are three methods through which the nicotine can enter the body that is inhaling, through skin and chewing it. Nicotine in the body is metabolized through the liver, lungs and kidney. And so it has an adverse effect on all of these organs of the body besides providing harm to the brain and other parts. In fact nicotine has an extremely adverse effect on almost all of the body parts and organs and is a very common reason for premature deaths and many dangerous diseases in the United State as well as the whole world (United States, 2010). Nicotine has psychological, physiological, mental, emotional and physical effects on the body. Nicotine has both short term effects and long terms effects and can cause serious illness and diseases. It can have both positive and negative impact on the mood, appetite, mental and physical abilities of the person. The most common disease that a regular smoker gets is cancer. If nicotine is used for extended periods of time the person will be very likely to suffer from cancer. Cancers are of different types but the one which most of the smokers have is lung cancer as the smoke gets inhaled by the nose it has a hard core impact on the lungs and ruptures the lungs. The short term effects include those effects that are observed as soon as the nicotine reaches the brain. These effects include increase in heartbeat, increase in blood sugar level, respiration, alertness of mind, and increase in blood pressure and sometimes even a person observes that after nicotine intake his memorizing ability gets increased but that is only a temporary increase not a permanent effect (N.S.W. Cancer Council, 2008). Within minutes of the intake of nicotine the effect starts to wither out; at this stage the in taker of nicotine starts to feel drowsy, dizzy, nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, stomach upset and breathing problems and the drug user has an urge for more drug and this urge cannot be controlled. The drug user can only get back to its normal state by having another dose of this drug. Nicotine can result in a number of pulmonary diseases as it is directly taken through the nose to the lungs, the lungs get damaged and ruptured the consequence of which is that the person is liable to get a number of diseases related to lungs like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema. One of the greatest problems related to nicotine in take is addiction. Nicotine is highly addictive. Even a person who takes nicotine for the first time gets badly addicted to nicotine because as soon as the persons takes nicotine, within seconds the person can feel the high and it is a very soothing, and calming effect and the user gets pleasure and this effect of nicotine starts to diminish within minutes of the intake so the user feels the need of another dose so that the effect of pleasure remains in his mind (Society for research on nicotine and tobacco, 1999). When nicotine enters the body through the lungs it immediately enters the blood stream and tightens the blood vessels which results in increased blood pressure and heart beat but a more dangerous effect of narrowing and damaging of the arteries is that the user can be in danger of getting a heart attack. Nicotine contains carbon mono oxide which causes damage to the arteries. The most adverse effect of the nicotine is on the brain; it cause serious damages to the brain and the user of nicotine has an increased risk of getting a stroke. Nicotine contains harmful toxins, these toxins have a bad effect on the skin and with continuous use of nicotine for a long time it can cause the skin to become pale, yellow and dull. It also produces wrinkles on the skin and causes premature ageing. Nicotine both acts as a stimulant as well as a depressant. Due to the intake of nicotine a person’s diet is reduced, he does not feel hungry and due to this property of nicotine it was in the earlier times used to overcome starvations and thirst. As soon as the nicotine reaches the brain it relieves and lightens the mood of a person and even a person gets rid of minor depression and tension by using nicotine. As already above discussed that intake of nicotine increases blood sugar level it simultaneously increase insulin production level. The intake of nicotine increases the bowel activity and increase production of saliva and may cause nausea and vomiting. Certain people use nicotine to perform well because nicotine improves memory and work performance (Anti-cancer foundation, 2001). Nicotine increases the production of dopamine in the brain which increases the feeling of pleasure and reduces appetite. Norepinephrine which is also a chemical in the brain is also increased which causes arousal and also reduces appetite. Acetylcholine also increases which causes arousal and increases cognition. Vasopressin also increases which helps to increase memory. Serotonin which is also a chemical in the brain is increased by nicotine intake and it controls the mood and suppresses the appetite of the person. Beta-endorphin also increases and it helps to reduce the anxiety level and also reduces tension. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug and once a person gets addicted to it becomes very difficult almost impossible for the person to get rid of this addiction and come back to his normal life. Nicotine has such a high addiction that even a person knowing all the harmful effects that the nicotine can cause to his health cannot stop himself from taking nicotine. Nicotine is around 1000 times more compelling than alcohol and 5-10 times stronger than cocaine and morphine. The reason why nicotine is so highly addictive is that nicotine shoots up the level of dopamine in the brain which causes pleasurable feelings in the mind, when dopamine is stimulated artificially in the brain the brain now gets used to the stimulated effect of the dopamine. The brain tends to get relied on nicotine for the stimulation of pleasurable feelings in the mind. The body then becomes unable to handle the stress and be happy without the help of a drug which in this case is nicotine. The body gets cravings for more and more nicotine to keep the mood happy and handle all the stress and tension (Bill, 2009). The greatest advantage of using nicotine by drug users is that they get an instant high and instantly they get relived and happy, nicotine has an immediate impact and is therefore preferred over other drugs. The greatest source of nicotine intake in the body is through smoking. Although the smoker is aware of the fact that it is ruining his health but he knows that another cigarette or another packet of it will not kill him so he continues to smoke and ruin his life to death. The process of addiction is basically a three step process. In the first stage he starts believing that by the intake of drugs he can remain happy and satisfied; the addictive self starts to take over the normal self, they start thinking that taking nicotine is the solution to all their problems. In the second stage they start to feel as if he is being attacked if someone asks him to stop the intake, he presents arguments and he feels cut off from the people, he starts to act more violently and becomes unpredictable; he sometimes feel that he is going on the wrong path and feels ashamed but then to overcome this shame he increases his intake and starts to blame others. The third and the final stage is when he cannot be reverted back to a normal life, everyone starts to hate him and so he feels more cut-off and sad and to get himself rid of this feeling he continues the intake of nicotine and becomes a permanent addict (Polito, 2011). Nicotine is a highly intoxication, powerful and a potent drug and once you become a victim of nicotine addiction it becomes an extremely uphill task for you to free yourself of this addiction. It is an extremely hazardous drug and causes serious damage physically and mentally to the human body. However a person can still permanently get rid of this nicotine addiction if he realizes that he needs help from his God and asks his help. He must realize that it will definitely take much time to recover from addiction and it won’t be easy to get rid of it as getting addicted was easy and it certainly will be an uphill task. A better solution is that you do not take nicotine or any other drug in the first place and get more devoted to religion and spirituality which would have far better effects than drugs (Tobacco prevention and control in Utah, 2003). References N.S.W. Cancer Council. (2008). Tackling tobacco program research series. Woolloomooloo, N.S.W: Cancer Council NSW. Colorado., & Colorado. (2008). Tobacco Education, Prevention, And Cessation Grant Program annual report. Denver, Colo: Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment, Prevention Services Division. Ann Arbor. (2007). Nicotine-Fits, MI: Nic-Fit Comics. McNeil Products Ltd. (2010). The advisor: Inspiration in smoking cessation. Woking: ADED Media. United States. (2000). Treating tobacco use and dependence. Rockville, MD: U.S. Public Health Service. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. (1999). Nicotine & tobacco research. S.l.: Informa Heathcare. Utah. (2003). Tobacco prevention and control in Utah ... annual report. Salt Lake City, Utah: Tobacco Prevention & Control Program, Utah Dept. of Health. Anti-Cancer Foundation (S. Aust.). (2001). Tobacco Control Research and Evaluation report. Unley, S. Aust: Tobacco Control Research and Evaluation Unit. Bill. (2009, July 14). Why is nicotine so addictive? April 3, Year, from http://whatmesober.com/2009/07/14/why-is-nicotine-so-addictive/ John R. Polito. (2011, Nov. 10). Nicotine Addiction 101. April 3, Year, from http://whyquit.com/whyquit/linksaaddiction.html Read More