1. Nicotine Is a Drug
Nicotine affects the central nervous system as a stimulant, although some people claim they feel calm from it. It increases blood pressure, respiration and heart rate, and constricts blood vessels. Nicotine suppresses hunger and causes an increase in blood sugar. It is highly addicting, as most people who have ever tried to quit smoking will attest.
2. Kids Are Most Likely to Experience Nicotine Poisoning
The most common scenario involving nicotine poisoning is with children who have ingested nicotine by accidentally chewing nicotine gum or patches. It's crucial to keep these products out of reach of children. There have also been reported cases of nicotine poisoning caused by the use of insecticides whereby nicotine is absorbed through the skin. The reason it's more common in kids is because it takes the equivalent of smoking three packs of cigarettes to cause nicotine poisoning in an adult. Usually one would get pretty sick before they were able to complete that task. Tobacco workers are also at risk for absorbing too much nicotine through their skin.
3. Nicotine Poisoning Makes You Sick
Some people have the unpleasant memory of being caught smoking cigarettes by parents and then being forced to smoke a whole pack until they got sick. That ill feeling is a taste of nicotine poisoning. Symptoms of nicotine poisoning include abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, agitation, restlessness, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, headache, high blood pressure and weakness.
4. Nicotine Poisoning Requires Medical Attention
According to the National Institutes of Health, you should not induce vomiting in someone who has ingested too much nicotine, unless directed to do so by a medical professional. Call Poison Control and explain the situation and the person's symptoms. You can call the National Poison Control Center anytime, even if it's not an emergency. It's free and confidential. You can also take the person to the emergency room for care.
5. Deadly in Very High Doses
Depending on the amount of nicotine ingested, the person may be treated with medication to help their symptoms. If it's serious, they may be given activated charcoal to prevent the drug from being absorbed through the lining of the stomach, or a tube may be inserted into the stomach through the nose to empty the contents of the stomach. Although seizures and even death could occur from nicotine poisoning, there are usually no long term effects if it's treated quickly.
