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Nicotine addiction: time for a reappraisal?

A new report published today highlights the need for a re-appraisal ofthe management of nicotine addiction and suggests that nicotine couldbe provided in a safer form than through conventional tobaccoproducts.[1]

Smoking kills 120,000 people a year in the UK. Most of these deathsresult from the toxins found in tobacco smoke. Nicotine, itself,while highly addictive, is not a major cause of disease. This is whynicotine can be used safely in products such as nicotine gum andpatches to help people stop smoking.

ASH's Research Manager, Amanda Sandford, said: "This report provides awelcome contribution to the debate about nicotine addiction andtobacco regulation. Cigarette smoking is by far the biggest problem ofdrug dependence in this country yet resources devoted to dealing withit have been pitifully small. While it is clearly important that helpis given to those who want to quit, we should also give more thoughtto ways of providing a safer form of nicotine delivery for those whoare not yet ready or able to stop."

Sandford added: "We now know that Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)is an effective aid to quitting smoking. However, the possibilities of using NRT or other cleaner forms of nicotine as an alternative to smoking have not yet been explored."

"Currently smokers are presented with a stark choice: 'quit or die'.While quitting smoking should remain a desirable goal, immediatehealth benefits could be gained by encouraging the use of cleanerforms of nicotine. Because so many smokers fail to quit, this ideashould be given serious consideration."[2]

Notes
[1] Smoking, nicotine and society. Pharmacia and Upjohn discussion Paper 1.

[2] Overcoming nicotine addiction is very difficult. On average, only2% of smokers succeed in giving up in any one year.

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