People start to smoke at an early age, usually during their teenage years. By the time they become adults, they are addicted and it may become difficult to quit. Many individuals smoke for different reasons, the image of fitting in or stress related issues are two explanations people perceive. The addiction is real and cigarette users do not realize the health effects tobacco will cause. Surgeon General C. Everette Koop reported that nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products are addictive as heroin and cocaine (Byrne, 1988).
Nicotine is a stimulant contained in tobacco products that causes changes to the brain and behavior. It interacts with nicotinic receptors in the visual, limbic, and motor systems to increase brain metabolism, as it goes straight to the brain. Studies show, nicotine causes skeletal muscle relaxation, increases heart rate and blood pressure, and regulates the levels of a wide range of chemicals in the blood and brain. Which are the same effects as cocaine and heroin. (Byrne, 1988).
Once tobacco users become addicted, the process of trying to quit becomes challenging. …show more content…
Which only last from a few days to a few weeks, usually the difficult withdrawals are the first few days. To help smokers quit, there are different options to help kick the habit, such as therapy, gums, patches and sprays. However, research shows, a drug called gamma vynal-GABA (GVG), may help cure nicotine cravings. The drug works by blocking a brain enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter which prevents neural activity. GVG has been used for years to treat epilepsy in different countries and may possibly be a cure to treat cocaine addictions. Although, the research is not completely effective yet, doctors and scientists are working together to find a potential cure for tobacco users, to help fight the on-going habit of nicotine cravings (Wickelgren,