# Why Is Smoking Addictive? It's Probably Not Just Nicotine



## Alex (11/6/15)

*Why Is Smoking Addictive? It's Probably Not Just Nicotine, Despite What We've Been Told For Years*
Oct 24, 2013 01:28 PM By Peter Sergo​ 
Nicotine-free tobacco smoke elicited more addictive behavior in rats than pure nicotine or smoke from manufactured tobacco that contains nicotine. Fried Dough, CC BY 2.0

When we think about smoking’s addictive qualities, the culprit that most often comes to mind is the infamous stimulant, nicotine. The plethora of patches and chewing gums available on store shelves that are meant to dull that itch attest to how nicotine is the therapeutic target of choice.

Countering this dogma, though, are researchers in New Zealand who have further verified that nicotine is not the only ingredient in tobacco products that makes kicking a smoking habit an uphill battle.

At this week’s Smokefree Oceania conference in Auckland, New Zealand, Penelope Truman of the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) presented a study that showed how rats exhibited a greater willingness to obtain a dose of smoke from non-nicotinic rolling tobacco compared with doses of nicotine and smoke from factory-made cigarettes that contain nicotine.

Truman, along with researchers from Victoria University, gauged the extent that rats were willing to press a lever to obtain a dose of saline that was infused with either just nicotine or a type of tobacco smoke. Because rats showed a significantly higher willingness to go the distance to get a taste of rolling tobacco smoke, the authors concluded that a substance other than nicotine must be getting them hooked.

“[N]on-nicotinic components have a role in tobacco dependence and…some tobacco products have higher abuse liability, irrespective of nicotine levels,” the study authors concluded.

“This extra chemical is an additional thing that makes smoking harder to give up,” Truman explained to _The New Zealand Herald_. “This is a formal proof that some tobacco substances are more addictive than nicotine is.” What this specific tobacco component actually is has yet to be identified though.

In light of this finding, the director of Auckland University’s National Institute of Health Innovation, Chris Bullen, suggested the presence of other chemicals in cigarettes that are intended to boost the addictive properties of smoking, regardless of the absence of nicotine.

"It could in part explain why nicotine replacement therapy and any other kinds of products that deliver nicotine as a substitute to mitigate withdrawal and cravings might not be as effective as they could be,” Bullen explained to the _Herald_.

For example, a 2012 study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Massachusetts found that relapse rates were the same between smokers who used nicotine replacement therapies and those who did not.

Truman and colleagues’ study, Bullen noted to the _Herald_, could lead to the development of enhanced-effectiveness medications to help smokers quit. “That's the end goal of this kind of research,” he concluded, “to identify what that missing piece could be, and address that with some kind of medication."


source: http://www.medicaldaily.com/why-smo...tine-despite-what-weve-been-told-years-260839

Reactions: Like 4 | Informative 4


----------



## Carnival (21/1/18)

Re-posting @Raindance and my posts to this thread for further discussion.



Raindance said:


> I have started to doubt the accepted perception regarding the addictivenes of nicotine. Not claiming it is not addictive but more addictive than cocaine? I doubt it.
> 
> Maybe in combination with tobacco smoke yes but as a substance on its own it may be far less habit forming. I am playing with the idea that the other chemicals in tobacco smoke "dig a hole" which then requires nicotine to "fill" it in.
> 
> ...




To me, having recently quit cigarettes, I can confirm that the craving I used to get for a smoke is absolutely 100 times higher than any “need” to vape. I can also go a few hours without vaping, but when I smoked the thought of a few hours without a cigarette was horrifying and if I had to do it, I’d get irritable. 

Sure, nicotine alone can be somewhat addictive, but I personally believe it’s all the chemicals they add WITH nicotine in cigarettes that turn it into a full on addiction.

Reactions: Agree 3


----------



## BubiSparks (21/1/18)

This was published in 2013... Question is; Has Ms Truman pursued the elusive other addictive compounds in the last five years???


----------



## Carnival (21/1/18)

BubiSparks said:


> This was published in 2013... Question is; Has Ms Truman pursued the elusive other addictive compounds in the last five years???



I did a google search and unfortunately didn’t find a more recent study by P. Truman on this.


What irks me is sites that like making statements to this effect:

“*Although nicotine is responsible for the addictive qualities of tobacco smoke*, it is actually the other chemicals in smoke that cause most of the damage to the body.“ 

Not saying nicotine is _not_ addictive, but why put such hazardous chemicals in there if it doesn’t increase addiction?  One could argue the same concept is used with illegal substances when dealers “lace” their stuff with other chemicals. Aside from cutting back their costs it also tends *to make it more addictive*.

The heads of cigarette companies should be shot.

Quote taken from here: https://www.livestrong.com/article/194388-list-of-all-chemicals-in-cigarette-smoke/

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Faiyaz Cheulkar (21/1/18)

Nicotine is no doubt addictive. Some people are addicted to coffee or tea or energy drinks like 'score'. The substances in these activates the nervous system in a certain way that makes a person addicted to it. 

In case of smoking I feel it's not about the nicotine but a psychological need to keep ur hands and mouth busy. I feel that's one reason nicotine replacement therapy like patches and chewing gums don't work, but vaping helps.
Nicotine enhances ur nervous system and also has been known to improve concentration, relieve stress and increase working memory. And there is no significant scientific evidence that nicotine by itself causes cancer. 
I normally vape 0 nicotine, but do have 18mg liquids at hand for when I need them.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Carnival (21/1/18)

Faiyaz Cheulkar said:


> In case of smoking I feel it's not about the nicotine but a psychological need to keep ur hands and mouth busy. I feel that's one reason nicotine replacement therapy like patches and chewing gums don't work, but vaping helps.



I said in another thread recently that I’ve been vaping a lot since quitting smoking so I should probably up the nic, but now that I think about it, it’s more likely the need to keep my hands busy (plus I enjoy the taste of the flavours). You make a good point as to the reason why patches and chewing gums don’t work while vaping does help.

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## Hooked (21/1/18)

Carnival said:


> I did a google search and unfortunately didn’t find a more recent study by P. Truman on this.
> 
> 
> What irks me is sites that like making statements to this effect:
> ...



@Carnival @Alex I'm quite shocked by what I've read here. If it's true, that cigarette companies are adding something to facilitate addiction, they should be sued down to their last penny. However, for me the addiction is definitely nicotine. I get irritable after a few hours of no nic, whether from stinkies when I was smoking, or Nicorette or vaping. That's why I ALWAYS carry Nicorette with me for places where I can't vape.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Carnival (21/1/18)

@Hooked I completely agree that they should be sued, but I think it’s virtually impossible to find solid proof of this.  However, I still believe it’s true.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Carnival (21/1/18)

There is something that hints at it, @Hooked:

“After 11 years of appeals and delays, a federal court has finally forced tobacco companies Altria, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard, and Philip Morris USA to run a year-long advertising campaign in which they will *admit that they tried to make cigarettes more addictive* and that smoking kills more people than die from murder, HIV/AIDS, suicide, car crashes, drug overdoses, and alcohol combined, among other messages.“

Source: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/11/27/16705004/tobacco-ads-smoking-kills

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 1


----------



## Silver (21/1/18)

Carnival said:


> There is something that hints at it, @Hooked:
> 
> “After 11 years of appeals and delays, a federal court has finally forced tobacco companies Altria, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Lorillard, and Philip Morris USA to run a year-long advertising campaign in which they will *admit that they tried to make cigarettes more addictive* and that smoking kills more people than die from murder, HIV/AIDS, suicide, car crashes, drug overdoses, and alcohol combined, among other messages.“
> 
> Source: https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/11/27/16705004/tobacco-ads-smoking-kills



Good find @Carnival !

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Raindance (21/1/18)

To test the principal I think I will mix my flavor juices with 0 nicotine and only keep one or two tobacco flavors with (I think 8mg/ml) nicotine in them.

I think most of my vaping is for enjoyment and from habit rather than a need for nicotine. Will act on this as soon as I get a proper MTL setup going to run the nic juice on.

Regards

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 2


----------



## Hooked (21/1/18)

Raindance said:


> To test the principal I think I will mix my flavor juices with 0 nicotine and only keep one or two tobacco flavors with (I think 8mg/ml) nicotine in them.
> 
> I think most of my vaping is for enjoyment and from habit rather than a need for nicotine. Will act on this as soon as I get a proper MTL setup going to run the nic juice on.
> 
> Regards



Can't wait for the results of your research!


----------



## Alex (21/1/18)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...s-tobacco-companies-use-make-sure-hooked.html

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## RichJB (21/1/18)

While the tobacco industry have doubtless taken steps to make smoking more addictive, vaping is doing exactly the same. How else do we explain the emergence of nic salts, designed to increase your nicotine intake by up to 20x more than regular 3mg juice, without adding any unpleasant throat hit or other side effects. Both industries require users to be as dependent as possible on nic. Without it, they don't have a business. Wayne said it best when he scaled down to 0mg: without nic, there is no real point to vaping. 

This is why Scott Gottlieb is so disliked by both the tobacco and vaping industries. He is going after nicotine and both big tobacco and vaping know that their business hangs in the balance. If Gottlieb gets it right to legislate nic down to non-addictive levels (over time), it kills the entire sector.

It's also why both big tobacco and vaping are now claiming that nic isn't addictive and isn't harmful. They're hoping the regulators will buy it and turn their attention to something else other than nic. It's the only way to save the business.

Reactions: Like 2 | Informative 1


----------



## kev mac (22/1/18)

Alex said:


> View attachment 29098
> 
> *Why Is Smoking Addictive? It's Probably Not Just Nicotine, Despite What We've Been Told For Years*
> Oct 24, 2013 01:28 PM By Peter Sergo​
> ...


Without a doubt nicotine is far from the only additive substance in cigarettes and it is prob probably one of if not the least harmful and habit forming.I base my opinion on what I've read and from my personal experience.

Reactions: Like 1


----------

