A Deadly Addiction

I’m studying today, so time for factoids.

In America 490,000 people die from nicotine addiction every year.

Nicotine kills more Americans every year than AIDS, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicides, suicides, car accidents and fires combined.

Almost half of America’s 44 million adult smokers will die prematurely of tobacco-related illness if they don’t stop.

I’ve already pointed out that among addictive substances, nicotine is the most addictive.

Good news! There is an exciting new treatment to help people addicted to deadly nicotine. It’s known as Chantix. It’s a molecule designed to fit the same receptor in the brain that nicotine fits. By partially stimulating the nicotine receptor, Chantix seems to prevent craving for nicotine and the weight gain often seen after quitting tobacco. These problems frequently thwart smokers attempting to quit. Quitting success with Chantix is reported to be around 70%, unheard of with any other treatments. My experience with my own patients so far has been even better than 70%. This is very good news.

Addictions are about brain chemistry. Looking at what happens in the brain will lead to discoveries that will give us better treatments for the whole spectrum of addictive disorders.

Nicotine, it’s dangerous, deadly and highly addictive, yet it’s readily available in any grocery store. I think there are too many people dying, something should change. I think nicotine should be as hard to get as cocaine and heroin are, it's just as dangerous.

Just something for our old thinkers to munch on. Ta ta.