Nicotine is a substance that is found mainly in tobacco. Â Other plants like cauliflower and green tomatoes for example also contain nicotine but to a much lesser extent. Â Nicotine is considered to be a highly-toxic and addictive drug because of its psychoactive properties. Â It is known to have various effects on the nervous system which is considered dangerous to health.
One tobacco leaf contains up to 7% of nicotine. Â When these leaves are made into cigarettes, as much as 3mg of this substance may be inhaled by a smoker. This little amount of nicotine can have adverse effects on the body including the elevation of heart rate or tachycardia ad constriction of small blood vessels among many other effects. Â Inhalation of nicotine also results to some kind of euphoric feeling for the smokers. Â Some people feel really good about themselves when they smoke a cigarette. Â There are also others who claim that they become more alert and active because of the nicotine in their tobacco or cigarette. Â These seemingly positive effects make nicotine a highly addictive substance and this is the very reason why nicotine-based products like tobacco are regulated in many countries in terms of sale and usage.
Beyond nicotine’s effect on alertness and sense of well-being, prolonged consumption of this substance can lead to various health illnesses. Â Chain-smokers of tobacco are known to be prone to a variety of lung disease secondary to nicotine. Â These include bronchitis, emphysema, and even lung cancer among others. Â Some people may also develop heart disease because of prolonged tobacco consumption. Â The basic act of nicotine inhalation may result to palpitations and elevated heart rates for some people. Â Nicotine is also known to promote the growth and development of carcinogens in the body. Â This is the reason why some people who smoke regularly do not only develop lung diseases but also diseases affecting other parts of the body.
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