Psychology2016

Consciousness 165

or illegal drugs once used to be legal. One has to wonder what would have been the
fate of these drugs if as many people had been making money off of them at that time
as do those who farm, manufacture, and distribute tobacco products today.
Nicotine is a relatively mild but nevertheless toxic stimulant, producing a slight
“rush” or sense of arousal as it raises blood pressure and accelerates the heart, as well as
providing a rush of sugar into the bloodstream by stimulating the release of adrenalin in
addition to raising dopamine levels in the brain’s reward pathway (Kovacs et al., 2010;
Rezvani & Levin, 2001). As is the case with many stimulants, it also has a relaxing effect
on most people and seems to reduce stress (Pormerleau & Pormerleau, 1994).
Although fewer Americans are smoking (down to about 17% from more than 40% in
the 1960s), men are more likely to smoke than women, an incidence of about 19% for men
and 15% for women (CDC, 2015b). The heaviest smokers (20%) are those adults aged 25–44
years. This is alarming news when one considers the toxic nature of nicotine: In the 1920s
and 1930s it was used as an insecticide and is considered to be highly toxic and fast acting
(Gosselin et al., 1984; Mayer, 2014). Although the amount of nicotine in a cigarette is low,
first-time smokers often experience nausea as a result of the toxic effects after just a few
puffs.
Why is it so difficult to quit using tobacco products? Aside from the powerfully
addictive nature of nicotine, the physical withdrawal symptoms can be as bad as those
resulting from alcohol, cocaine, or heroin abuse (Epping-Jordan et al., 1998). People don’t
think about nicotine as being as bad as cocaine or heroin because nicotine is legal and
easily obtainable, but in terms of its addictive power, it is more powerful than heroin or
alcohol (CDC, 2010; Henningfield et al., 1990; Jamal et al., 2015). Using smokeless tobacco
(e-cigarettes or “vaping”) may actually be more harmful, as one study found higher lev-
els of exposure to nicotine and toxins in those users than in users of regular tobacco prod-
ucts (Rostron et al., 2015).

THINKING CRITICALLY

What might happen if the use of nicotine products became illegal?

The response entered here will be saved to your notes and may be

collected by your instructor if he/she requires it.

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CAFFEINE Although many people will never use amphetamines or take cocaine, and
others will never smoke or will quit successfully, there is one stimulant that almost
everyone uses, with many using it every day. This, of course, is caffeine, the stimulant
found in coffee, tea, most sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, and even many over-the-
counter drugs.
Caffeine is another natural substance, like cocaine and nicotine, and is found in
coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa nuts, and at least 60 other types of plants (Braun, 1996). It
is a mild stimulant, helps maintain alertness, and can increase the effectiveness of some
pain relievers such as aspirin. Caffeine is often added to pain relievers for that reason and
is the key ingredient in medications meant to keep people awake.
Contrary to popular belief, coffee does not help induce sobriety. All one would get
is a wide-awake drunk. Coffee is fairly acidic, too, and acids are not what the stomach
of a person with a hangover needs. (And since the subject has come up, drinking more
alcohol or “hair of the dog that bit you” just increases the problem later on—the best cure
for a hangover is lots of water to put back all the fluids that alcohol takes out of the body,
and sleep.)
Research suggests that, in modest amounts of perhaps two cups a day, coffee may
actually be good for you. Studies have found that coffee consumption is associated with
lowered risk of Type 2 diabetes and a lower risk of death overall (Ding et al., 2014, 2015).

nicotine

the active ingredient in tobacco.

caffeine

a mild stimulant found in coffee,

tea, and several other plant-based

substances.

That isn’t a cloud of smoke coming from this

woman’s mouth. She’s using an e-cig, or

electronic cigarette. There are many different

brands of this battery-operated device

currently on the market. Each e-cig can

deliver nicotine (with flavorings and other

chemicals) in the form of a vapor rather

than smoke. Often promoted as safer than

a regular cigarette, the health risks of using

such devices is not yet determined.

While most people probably get their

caffeine dose in the form of coffee or

caffeinated sodas, many people are turning

to highly-caffeinated energy drinks such as

the one pictured here. What problems might

arise from using such heavily sweetened

beverages?