Nicotine: Effects, Risks - Report Example

Lecturer: Nicotine Section One Nicotine is a very toxic parasympathomimetic naturally occurring alkaloid. Its presence is commonlyfound in the family of plants called solanaceae. They include plants nightshade, egg plant, potato and tobacco. Nicotine acts as an agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Consequently, tobacco is the most referred plant with regard to nicotine and it contains approximately 3,800 compounds (Bevins and Caggiula, 56-58). The Agency for Toxic substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has found out that nicotine has nicotine acetylcholine as the receptors for the chemical compound in the body. The National Institute of Health (NHI) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have enacted regulations to prevent the exposure of hazardous nicotine to the public and environment. EPA has reported that second hand smoke increases the risk of respiratory diseases in children and lung cancer in adults. Moreover, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nicotine for use in the smoking cessation therapy. The nicotine treatment has replaced therapies like the nasal sprays, nicotine gum, and transdermal patch. Nicotine has been utilized widely as a pesticide functioning as a chemical for anti-herbivores. The substance is utilized as stimulant, whilst if consumed in large amounts in can be dangerous. Dependence forming properties of tobacco smokers is as a result of the stimulant effect. The absorption of nicotine occurs through the skin, oral cavity, and the lungs (Karaconji, 365). The risk of occupational exposure of nicotine is low if we apply protective measures like eye protection in combination with breathing protection, piece of clothing, and ventilation. The human health risk from environmental exposure to nicotine is high because nicotine is spread in the environment as a result of tobacco smoke. Foods have extremely low levels of nicotine exposure. Thereby, nicotine is responsible for pharmacological responses to smoking. Tobacco smoke is an outside environmental pollutant. The environmental regulations have been enacted to prevent passive smoking as it leads to almost 600,000 deaths annually. According to Grohol asserts that nicotine is of great importance as it reduces the chances of autopic disorders and preeclampsia. He also found out that tobacco smoke contains compounds that inhibit monoamine oxidase which is responsible for degradation of dopamine in human brains. While smoking of tobacco enhances the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, studies have shown that nicotine in itself has the ability to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Section Two 75% or even more of emitted nicotine from a cigarette is discharged into the air as sides stream smoke. This substantially contributes to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The nicotine in ETS is inhaled in the lungs by the non-smokers. In many nations smoking of tobacco smoking regarded as a health hazard and death contributor. The real threat to public health is passive smoking. As a result, there is need to ensure promotion of effective measures that would protect from indoor exposure to tobacco smoke in public places and at the work places. Passive smoking according to a study done in 2010, reported that it is dangerous to the children. They are at a higher risk of contacting asthma, pneumonia, and sudden infant death syndrome. Passive smoking is associated with respiratory illness, cancer of the lungs, and heart diseases thus resulting to 600,000 fatalities annually (Sutherland 67-69). Nicotine is an acute toxic chemical threat because human deaths and poisonings have been reported as a result of taking nicotine. Nicotine poisoning causes the following, pain in the abdomen, profuse sweating, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Severe poisoning is evidenced by being weak, dizzy, having hypertension, and even coma. Death only occurs as result of paralysis of respiratory muscles and the failure of central respiratory. Acute intoxication of nicotine occurs if the children ingest the tobacco materials (Benowitz, 87). Nicotine is a chronic toxic chemical threat. Chronic toxicity is caused by prolonged exposure to the chemical nicotine. It causes chronic obstructive lung disease due to pulmonary toxicity. Nicotine is both an acute and chronic chemical compound when taken in as tobacco smoke. Tobacco contains almost 4000 different chemical compounds. Nicotine is systematic threat as one effect in the body causes increased vulnerability for attack by the other diseases. Additionally, the compound is an organ threat. It affects the respiratory and the central nervous system. They organs affected include lungs, liver, and the brain. In take of nicotine causes lung cancer if utilized over a long period of time. Nicotine is readily absorbed by the lungs and distributed to the tissues increasing the concentration of elastase protein per cell causing air way obstructions. With regard to reproductive or developmental effects of nicotine, it has been found out that it targets the neurotransmitter receptors in the foetal brain thus leading to reduced proliferation of the cells and altered synaptic activity (News Medical). Karaconji (314-5) found out that prenatal exposure to nicotine causes an induction of structural changes in the lungs of an infant. Nicotine has a direct toxic effect on the cardiovascular system of the feotus and the concentrates in mothers breast milk, amniotic fluid, and blood of the foetus. The effect on the cardiovascular system of the foetus results in decreased flow of blood. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy periods have a major risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Foetal hypoxemia is regarded as major contributory cause of behavioral abnormalities like short attention span and hyper activity. Another chemical that behaves similar to nicotine is ethanol. Nicotine leads to the production of norepinephrine, adrenaline, acetylcholine, and beta-endorphin. When you smoke a cigarette blood rich in nicotine passes from the lungs to the brain in a span of 7 seconds and releases numerous chemical messengers. The user experiences enhanced memory and concentration due to increase in acetylcholine. Other side effects include: increased alertness and arousal due to an increase in acetylcholine and norepinephrine; reduced pain due to high levels of beta-endorphin; anxiety is also reduced in the process (Wagner and Triggle 59-61). According to (News Medical) researched and found out that at low doses, nicotine potently enhances norepinephrine and dopamine actions in the brain causing a drug effect that is typical of psycho-stimulants. At higher doses, nicotine increases the effect of opiate activity and serotonin. Besides, it produces the effect of calmness and pain killing. Nicotine is unique if compared to most drugs. Its profile alters from being a stimulant to sedative or pain killer in increasing use and dosages. Another chemical drug that behaves the same is ethanol. There is no special vulnerability of nicotine as it is airborne and can actually affect anyone. On the other hand, my habit of visiting recreational places increases the chances of me inhaling the second hand smoke. This increases the exposure to respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and other cardiovascular diseases.  Section Three Tobacco is the leading cause of death in the recent times. According to Karaconji (371) reported that 4.9 millions deaths are recorded as a result of tobacco. This underlines how no other product of the consumers kills as many people as tobacco. According to (Benowitz, 90) asserted that a study done in 2010 by World Health Organization (WHO) reported that passive smokers are at higher risk of contacting lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses than direct smokers. It has gone ahead and shown that roughly 600,000 deaths are as a result of passive smoking. Additionally, children are the most vulnerable with regard to passive smoking. Exposure to tobacco causes stimulation and relaxation due to the release of glucose and epinephrine. The user of tobacco has feelings of alertness and calmness. It also causes loss of appetite and raises metabolism resulting in smokers to loose weight. The tar in the cigarettes makes the user to be at higher risk of contacting cancer of the lungs, bronchial disorders, and emphysema. The smoke contains carbon monoxide which enhances the chances of contacting cardiovascular diseases (Sutherland 67-70). The recent studies have shown that smoking cessation has to be a gradual process as a result of the less severe withdrawal symptoms. The high risk situations can be overcome if the pharmacological treatment is combined with psychological treatment. The prescribed medications include; nicotine transdermal patch, nicotine gum, and utilization of zyban as medication (Benowitz 36-40). The pharmacological and behavioral treatments increases the rate of success by twofold compared to other treatments.  Section four The exposure to the toxic chemical is to be avoided as it leads to many hazardous effects. To ensure safety, there need to be aware of the presence of toxic compounds in anything that is to be utilized in our day to day life. The exposure to nicotine can be avoided by not contacting nicotine containing products. Also, should ensure that you reside in a well aerated environment free from pollution of any manner to avoid the chances of being a passive smoker and other related hazards. There should be designated places for the smokers in the public places to minimize effects of second hand smoke. To avoid exposure to other toxic chemicals, one should read the labeled instructions on the products they contain like expiry date, methods of proper disposal, and expert’s instructions. Precautionary information is to be acquired through; contacting of the self help agencies, following of the laid down safety plans, and following the advice of the concerned authorities. The acquired information is to be passed to the other people to be aware of the risks they are faced with particularly by the toxic chemicals. Section five Conclusion Nicotine is very toxic chemical compound. This is because it is very addictive in its nature when consumed. In addition, it leads to lung cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular complications. With regard to expectant mothers, it leads to sudden infant deaths syndrome and in male adults it causes impotency. Smoking of tobacco causes 4.6 million deaths annually than any other drug ever known. This raises the need to control the exposure to nicotine and other related products because of the high dangers they have to human health, whilst they are preventable. The government it put regulations to ensure that regulations with regard to tobacco are enforced like heavy taxation of the industries profits. The manufacturers of the nicotine products like cigarettes and nicotine gum should put warning messages on the dangers of consuming the products. The self help agencies are to make effort to ensure that the public is enlightened on the dangers of using tobacco and to avoid the second hand smoke. The suppliers and distributors should not sell the tobacco products to underage children and pregnant women. Works Cited Benowitz, Neal L. Nicotine Safety and Toxicity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Bevins, Rick A. and Anthony R. Caggiula. The Motivational Impact of Nicotine and Its Role in Tobacco Use. Lincoln, NE: Springer, 2009. Grohol, John. 11 July 2013. Nicotine. 29 March 2013 . Karaconji, Irena. "Facts About Nicotine Toxicity." Medical Research and Occupational Health (2005): 363-371. News Medical. 28 March 2013. Nicotines Effects. 29 March 2013 . Sutherland, Jodi. Effects of Tobacco Use. Ann Arbor: ProQuest, 2009. Wagner, Heather Lehr and David. J. Triggle. Nicotine. London: Infobase Publishing , 2009. Read More