4 ms·

The article wasn’t talking about smoking, and nicotine is not addictive.

by goodluckchuck 3y ago

Our_Benefactors 3y ago
Nicotine not addictive? That’s a bold claim.
- goodluckchuck 3y ago
  The article cites some fairly convincing studies that the addictiveness is from tobacco’s other (non-nicotine) chemicals including MAOIs. Is smoking addictive? Absolutely, but not because it contains nicotine.
  - bumby 3y ago
    The articles seems much more inconclusive than your comment implies. On one hand, yes, they point out that MAOIs may be confounding. But they also say: “additional work since 2002 has clearly shown that nicotine alone does have some addictive properties” And, frustratingly, they point out that addiction effects can’t be parsed out using smokers because of the confounding effects of other chemicals present in tobacco yet they quote a study using smokers to support the non-addiction claim.
  - Findecanor 3y ago
    If nicotine wasn't addictive then kids who never used tobacco wouldn't get hooked on vape, which they do.
- financltravsty 3y ago
  ΔFosB expression is lower from nicotine than it is caffeine.
  - mort96 3y ago
    I'm not familiar with the biochemistry involved or what exactly "ΔFosB expression" means, and I don't know if the term "addiction" is used in its strictly technical definition here (i.e activating the reward circuit) or if it's used to generally mean some form of dependence... but it's worth noting that caffeine dependence is pretty common.
mort96 3y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine > Nicotine is highly addictive. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/nicotine-addictive https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-n... > Is nicotine addictive? Yes. --- If nicotine wasn't addictive, why would people find that nicotine patches or nicotine gum helps with withdrawals from various tobacco products?
- goodluckchuck 3y ago
  Addiction is complex. Folks are generally addicted to a combination of things. For example they’ll do a particular drug, sit in a particular environment, with or without a social element, with or without food. Utilizing one of the elements without the others helps break the association. Its the same thing on a smaller level.
  - mort96 3y ago
    You're completely right! Addiction is complex! And nicotine is addictive.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
- tjpnz 3y ago
  Furthermore, why do people have withdrawal symptoms coming off the patches and gum?
- thecodedmessage 3y ago
  These sources do not address the claims made in the article.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - mort96 3y ago

The article wasn’t talking about smoking, and nicotine is not addictive.

Our_Benefactors 3y ago

Nicotine not addictive? That’s a bold claim.

goodluckchuck 3y ago
The article cites some fairly convincing studies that the addictiveness is from tobacco’s other (non-nicotine) chemicals including MAOIs. Is smoking addictive? Absolutely, but not because it contains nicotine.
- bumby 3y ago
  The articles seems much more inconclusive than your comment implies. On one hand, yes, they point out that MAOIs may be confounding. But they also say: “additional work since 2002 has clearly shown that nicotine alone does have some addictive properties” And, frustratingly, they point out that addiction effects can’t be parsed out using smokers because of the confounding effects of other chemicals present in tobacco yet they quote a study using smokers to support the non-addiction claim.
- Findecanor 3y ago
  If nicotine wasn't addictive then kids who never used tobacco wouldn't get hooked on vape, which they do.
financltravsty 3y ago
ΔFosB expression is lower from nicotine than it is caffeine.
- mort96 3y ago
  I'm not familiar with the biochemistry involved or what exactly "ΔFosB expression" means, and I don't know if the term "addiction" is used in its strictly technical definition here (i.e activating the reward circuit) or if it's used to generally mean some form of dependence... but it's worth noting that caffeine dependence is pretty common.

mort96 3y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine > Nicotine is highly addictive. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/nicotine-addictive https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-n... > Is nicotine addictive? Yes. --- If nicotine wasn't addictive, why would people find that nicotine patches or nicotine gum helps with withdrawals from various tobacco products?

goodluckchuck 3y ago
Addiction is complex. Folks are generally addicted to a combination of things. For example they’ll do a particular drug, sit in a particular environment, with or without a social element, with or without food. Utilizing one of the elements without the others helps break the association. Its the same thing on a smaller level.
- mort96 3y ago
  You're completely right! Addiction is complex! And nicotine is addictive.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
tjpnz 3y ago
Furthermore, why do people have withdrawal symptoms coming off the patches and gum?
thecodedmessage 3y ago
These sources do not address the claims made in the article.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- mort96 3y ago