Tobacco addiction is a dangerous habit that kills about 440,000 people in the United States each year, according to the National Institutes on Drug Abuse. Tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco contain nicotine (the substance that makes tobacco addictive).
Definition
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens, tobacco addiction refers to the compulsive need to obtain tobacco products, regardless of the health risks.
Tobacco's Addictive Chemical
According to the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, 4,000 chemicals are found in tobacco smoke--but nicotine is the cause for tobacco's addictive qualities. When you smoke a cigarette, 1mg to 2mg of nicotine enter your bloodstream and reach your brain. The nicotine binds to the pleasure centers in your brain, and you want to smoke more.
Consequences
The consequences of tobacco addiction are lethal. According to NIDA for teens, tobacco harms every part of your body and can lead to leukemia, as well as cancers of the lung, mouth, throat and stomach. The effects of tobacco are far more extensive than that described here.
Safer Tobacco Products
With the popularity of tobacco use, new tobacco products called potentially reduced exposure products (PREPs) are being developed, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. PREPs such as smokeless tobacco and cigarettes decrease the health risk associated with the original tobacco products.
Treatment
According to NIDA for teens, tobacco addiction is treated through behavioral programs and medications. Behavior programs teach you to change your tobacco habits; medications such as nicotine patches and prescription medications are designed to curb nicotine cravings.
