Tobacco and Nicotine |
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| Description | Taking
It |
| Tobacco is a substance produced from the leaves of the tobacco plant. Though this is a naturally derived product it is usually highly processed and can contain hundreds of different chemical additives. Nicotine, an addictive stimulant, is the active drug in tobacco. |
Tobacco is most commonly smoked but can also be chewed (chewing tobacco), sniffed (snuff) or placed in between your gums and cheeks (snus – not readily available in the UK). |
| AKA | Effects |
| Ciggies, Cigars, Cigarettes, Fags, Rollies, Smokes, Chewing Tobacco, Snuff, Snus. | Smoking tobacco allows the chemicals contained in the tobacco, including nicotine, to enter the bloodstream very quickly. Once these chemicals are in the blood they are transported to the brain within seconds. Smokers often report feeling relaxed and less hungry after smoking. Smoking tobacco increases the user’s heart rate and blood pressure due to the nicotine entering the bloodstream. Due to this first time smokers often feel dizzy and nauseous. Because nicotine is an addictive substance many users find it very difficult to give up smoking even after relatively short periods of use. Some of the negative
effects it has on health are: In the UK alone, over a hundred thousand people die each year as a result of their use of tobacco. Dose: Tobacco consumption
varies widely form one user to another. Doses of nicotine in tobacco
smoked vary from light (0.4 - 0.6mg) to heavy (3 - 4mg). The effects
of smoking tobacco can be felt after about 30 seconds and can last between
6-14 hours after smoking. Nicorette chewing
gum contains 3.4 to 4mg of tobacco per stick. |
| Effects | |
Tobacco
consumption varies widely form one user to another. Doses of nicotine
in tobacco smoked vary from light (0.4 - 0.6mg) to heavy (3 - 4mg). The
effects of smoking tobacco can be felt after about 30 seconds and can
last between 6-14 hours after smoking. Nicorette chewing
gum contains 3.4 to 4mg of tobacco per stick. |
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| Law | |
| Tobacco
can be bought legally by anyone over 16. It is illegal for anyone to sell
tobacco products to people under 16. There
is a legal ban on Snus across the EU (with the exception of Scandinavia) |
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