Have you ever heard anyone say, “You know it’s not the nicotine that’s unsafe when you smoke; it’s the other stuff that you take in with it?” This may be commonly believed, but it is not true. Both nicotine and the stuff that comes with it are unsafe. This is not a new misunderstanding, either. It first happened with cigarettes when individuals began switching to more “natural” brands to be “safer.” Now the conversation is largely surrounding vaping, mainly due to the claims that vaping is safer than cigarettes. Again, this is untrue. The truth is that nicotine is not safe to ingest in any form, and nicotine is still a very serious issue.
Many people have been touting the benefits of nicotine lately. There are many claims that nicotine is a good tool for cognitive function, treating anxiety, and maintaining an optimal “slim” body weight. However, even if there was verifiable evidence for these “positive attributes” of nicotine, this would not outweigh the dangers of nicotine use for adolescents.
Vaping is trending lately. However, it is important to understand how dangerous nicotine can be in all of its forms. It has now become popularized in vapes, gums, lozenges, “bandit” packets, and even toothpicks. Ultimately nicotine use can cause serious harm, regardless of the delivery method.
Understanding the Delivery Methods for Consuming Nicotine
Nicotine products can be placed in two categories. There is the tobacco category, and there is the “smokeless” or “tobacco-less” category. Many people claim that the latter category is less dangerous. The truth is that this is not necessarily the case. Better said, both of these categories are dangerous in their unique ways. However, one of the dangers that they both possess is the potential for nicotine dependency.
Nicotine From Tobacco Products
It is not hard to comprehend which nicotine products fall under the tobacco category. This category includes cigarettes, cigars, tobacco pipes, and smokeless tobacco (“chew”). Many consider these to be the “traditional” forms of nicotine. Some people even claim that this category is less dangerous because tobacco is more “natural.” Again, this is untrue.
According to the U.S. (FDA), “Some tobacco products, like cigarettes, are designed to deliver nicotine to the brain within seconds, making it easier to become dependent on nicotine and more difficult to quit. While nicotine naturally occurs in the tobacco plant itself, some tobacco products contain additives that may make it easier for your body to absorb more nicotine.” One of the key takeaways from that statement is that the goal of tobacco product manufacturers is to cause nicotine use in their consumers.
This is the same goal of smokeless nicotine manufacturers. Many of these smokeless products are even under the same nicotine company umbrella as traditional tobacco products.
Nicotine From “Smokeless” or “Tobacco-Less” Products
There is an argument to be made that some smokeless forms of nicotine can be helpful tools in assisting adults with quitting using traditional tobacco products. These are referred to as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aids. Examples of these would be gum, patches, and lozenges. However, the key here is that they are for adults. For adolescents with underdeveloped brains, all nicotine products can be harmful.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain” because “each time a new memory is created or a new skill is learned, stronger connections – or synapses – are built between brain cells. Young people’s brains build synapses faster than adult brains. Nicotine changes the way these synapses are formed.” These changes in synapses are also part of what can lead to nicotine dependency.
The most popular form of nicotine consumption for adolescents right now is still “vaping.” Vaping is a “tobacco-less” delivery system that heats a nicotine-filled chemical solution to create vapor that is then inhaled into the lungs. Through this process, vaping has been shown to cause physical harm to the throat and lungs. It also creates the same nicotine dependency that can come from traditional tobacco products.
Some Treatment Options for Combating Nicotine Addiction
The good news is that there are many treatment options for combating nicotine use. For teenagers, these options do not involve potentially addictive substitutes like NRTs. Abstinence is one of the best methods for treating nicotine dependency in adolescents.
However, abstinence from nicotine should also include other treatment modalities. Many therapies and psychotherapies can address the underlying issues causing nicotine use. Also, there are neuroscientific treatments that can help adjust and modify the negative behaviors created by nicotine. Additionally, there are holistic practices like yoga that can help heal the physical effects of nicotine addiction.
Just because the “quit smoking” campaign of the 1990s feels more like a thing of a distant past does not mean that the dangers of nicotine have subsided. They have just taken different forms. Nicotine manufacturers also continue to target our kids. This is why we must place the target back on those manufacturers and continue to stay vigilant. Our kids deserve it.
Over the last decade or so, there has been a popular narrative in the public sphere that nicotine is less dangerous when consumed by delivery devices other than cigarettes. This is simply untrue. While the argument has been made that vaping is safer than smoking, ultimately vaping has been shown to be just as dangerous, if only in slightly different ways. One common danger in particular that vaping shares with smoking is the presence of nicotine. Nicotine is a toxic chemical regardless of the way it is consumed. For more information on the dangerous nature of nicotine and how nicotine dependence can be treated, please reach out to Clearview at 866-584-4788.
