Signs of Tobacco Addiction

The nicotine in tobacco is a highly addictive chemical that causes the brain to release the neurotransmitter dopamine, creating a burst of pleasure.  When nicotine is inhaled through cigarette smoke, the chemical is absorbed into the blood through the lungs.  It reaches the brain in only 8 seconds, but its effects also wear off rapidly, encouraging the smoker to take another drag on the cigarette and to light up frequently.   Although nicotine is the primary addictive chemical in tobacco, recent research has discovered that tobacco contains other chemicals, including monoamine oxidase and acetaldehyde, which enhance the pleasurable and addictive qualities of nicotine and to which adolescents are particularly vulnerable.  In fact, teens can show signs of addiction after smoking only a few cigarettes.  Other forms of tobacco, including smokeless tobacco, clove cigarettes (kreteks), flavored cigarettes from India (bidis), and hookah smoking (water pipe smoking), are often mistakenly thought to be safer than cigarettes, but they can deliver as much or more nicotine as cigarettes and are just as toxic.  According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 69.7 million Americans age 12 and over currently used tobacco in 2009, whether in the form of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or smokeless tobacco; not surprisingly, young adults, ages 18-26, had the highest rates of tobacco usage of all age groups.   If you are wondering if someone you know may be addicted to tobacco, consider the following signs of tobacco addiction.

• Telltale signs of smoking—Although most adults have no reason to conceal their smoking habits, it can sometimes be difficult for parents to know if their teenage children are smoking.  While maintaining good lines of communication with teens is the best way to prevent and detect risky behaviors, parents should be alert to the odor of smoke on their teen’s clothes or perfumes used to cover the odor, unusual coughing, and their teen’s spending patterns.
• Inability to quit—Deciding to stop smoking and being unable to follow through on that decision can be a sign of addiction.  According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 90% of the people who attempt to quit smoking without seeking outside help fail, most in less than a week.  
• Withdrawal symptoms—When unable to use tobacco, a person who is addicted may experience the following physical and mood-related symptoms: strong cravings, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, depressed mood, increased appetite, constipation or diarrhea.  Strong cravings can be the greatest obstacle to successfully quitting because, in addition to the chemical effects of nicotine, the ritual of smoking and the feel of a cigarette have woven themselves into the rhythms of daily life. 
• Continuing to smoke despite its negative consequences—The health risks associated with smoking are well-known; but someone who is addicted to tobacco may continue to smoke despite suffering from cancer, lung disease, or heart disease.  Or a person may continue to smoke despite having to give up social and recreational activities that he or she previously enjoyed, like meeting friends in smoke-free places or playing sports. 

Although it is notoriously difficult to quit smoking, medical and behavioral treatments, such as nicotine replacement therapies and counseling, are effective in helping people to successfully stop using tobacco.  There is no need to struggle to quit alone, so do not hesitate to seek help for yourself or someone you care about.