Nicotine products range from tobacco-based items like cigarettes and chewing tobacco to nicotine pellets, gum, patches, and e-cigarettes. Nicotine is naturally found in tobacco plants and some foods, but its addictive qualities and links to cancer have led to smoking bans and the development of nicotine products to help quit smoking. Candy-like nicotine products have also been criticized for their appeal to younger ages. Nicotine, while less harmful without tobacco smoke, is still not considered a healthy product due to its addictive and potentially damaging effects.
There are many different nicotine products, including anything with tobacco – cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, etc. – to special products intended to help people quit smoking, such as gum and plasters. Some companies have also invented nicotine pellets, small candy-like tablets that contain nicotine and come in various flavors, such as mint or cinnamon. E-cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have also hit the market, providing users with nicotine without the ill effects of tobacco smoke.
Nicotine is a naturally occurring chemical found in tobacco plants. Smaller traces can also be found naturally in foods such as tomatoes and potatoes. For much of the 20th century, smoking cigarettes and using other tobacco products were widely adopted and generally accepted habits. By the 1920s, however, studies had revealed that nicotine was an addictive substance and that tobacco products were a leading cause of cancer. While smoking is still popular with many, most are now aware of the dangers of smoking, which may have resulted in a lower percentage of smokers overall. Many cities around the world have implemented some form of smoking bans in public places, further limiting the prevalence of smoking nicotine products.
Not all tobacco nicotine products are smoked. Chewing tobacco, or chews, is tobacco that users insert into their mouths to suck out the juices. Chewing tobacco comes in two forms: whole leaf or dipping tobacco. Chewing the whole leaves requires the user to grind the product with their teeth to release the nicotine-containing juices. Dipping tobacco, on the other hand, is ground into a finer form; the user simply has to let the product rest inside the lower lip for the juices to be absorbed into the mouth. Chewing tobacco products are known causes of mouth and throat cancer.
Because nicotine is an addictive substance, there is a large market for nicotine products intended to help people quit smoking or chewing tobacco. These products contain smaller trace amounts of nicotine that are meant to slowly wean the user off the drug. After consulting with a physician about which product is best for a particular individual’s needs, one can choose between nicotine gum, patches, or lozenges.
Such products are meant to be used for a specified period of time, after which the individual is hoped to have kicked their addiction. Stopping nicotine use in one fell swoop is known as quitting “cold turkey.” While this method works for some individuals, for others the withdrawal symptoms and cravings prove too difficult to overcome without the help of a nicotine product.
Some people choose to continue using nicotine products, but at least wish to do so without the harmful effects of tobacco smoke and chewing. E-cigarettes allow users to inhale puffs of nicotine that simulate the experience of smoking tobacco. E-cigarettes can also emit non-nicotine vapor to help smokers break free from nicotine addiction.
Candy-like nicotine products manufactured by the tobacco giants have also come onto the market. The products typically come in the form of strips, balls, and sticks that are candy-flavored alternatives to smokes that contain nicotine. Such products have received widespread criticism under the argument that their candy form might be appealing to younger ages.
By itself, without the noxious smoke, chemicals, and increased chances of cancer associated with tobacco products, nicotine is far more benign to your health, but it’s still not considered a healthful product. While it can help boost energy and induce relaxation in people, its addictive qualities can be psychologically damaging. It can also increase the risk of heart disease by increasing the amount of bad cholesterol.
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