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Addiction: Substance Abuse Community
This community is a place to share information and support with others who are trying to stop using drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco or other addictive substances. Discuss with others, the symptoms of addiction, addiction recovery, ways to quit like tapering and cold turkey, and withdrawal symptoms. If you are interested in general "chat", please visit our Addiction Social Community.
Nicotine's mood-altering effects are different by report. First causing a release of glucose from the liver and epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla, it causes stimulation. Subjectively, users report feelings of relaxation, calmness, and alertness. It is even reported to produce a mildly euphoric state. By reducing the appetite and raising the metabolism, some smokers may lose weight as a consequence. It also allows the mouth to be stimulated without food and the taste of tobacco smoke may curb the appetite.
When a cigarette is smoked, nicotine-rich blood passes from the lungs to the brain within seven seconds and immediately stimulates the release of many chemical messengers including acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and beta-endorphin. This results in enhanced pleasure and alertness. Nicotine enhances concentration and memory due to the increase of acetylcholine. The effects of nicotine last from five minutes to two hours. Most people who use nicotine do so several times a day (the average smoker smokes about 20 cigarettes in a 24-hour period). They do this in an effort to keep the pleasant effects of nicotine throughout the day and to avoid withdrawal. Most cigarettes (in the smoke inhaled) contain 0.1 to 2.8 milligrams of nicotine.