The scientific case that nicotine is addictive

Abstract

Despite the wide-ranging and authoritative 1988 review by the US Surgeon General, views questioning the addictiveness of nicotine contine to be expressed in some quarters. This lack of complete consensus is not unexpected, since no universally agreed scientific definition of addiction exists. In this paper we briefly consider a number of lines of evidence from both the human and animal literature bearing on the addictiveness of nicotine. Patterns of use by smokers and the remarkable intractability of the smoking habit point to compulsive use as the norm. Studies in both animal and human subjects have shown that nicotine can function as reinforcer, albeit under a more limited range of conditions than with some other drugs of abuse. In drug discrimination paradigms there is some cross-generalisation between nicotine on the one hand, and amphetamine and cocaine on the other. A well-defined nicotine withdrawal syndrome has been delineated which is alleviated by nicotine replacement. Nicotine replacement also enhances outcomes in smoking cessation, roughly doubling success rates. In total, the evidence clearly identifies nicotine as a powerful drug of addiction, comparable to heroin, cocaine and alcohol.

Interactive effects of the mGlu5 receptor antagonist MPEP and the mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist LY341495 on nicotine self-administration and reward deficits associated with nicotine withdrawal in rats

“…Nicotine is one of the major components of tobacco responsible for the tobacco smoking habit in humans (Stolerman and Jarvis, 1995). Nicotine acts as a reinforcer that is intravenously selfadministered by humans (Harvey et al, 2004;Henningfield and Goldberg, 1983;Rose et al, 2003) and experimental animals (Corrigall and Coen, 1989;Donny et al, 1995;Goldberg et al, 1981;Henningfield and Goldberg, 1983;Watkins et al, 1999).…”

Craving in Intermittent and Daily Smokers During Ad Libitum Smoking

“…This is thought to be necessary in order to maintain nicotine levels high enough to avoid incipient withdrawal symptoms that would trigger an urge to smoke (Benowitz, 2010;Stolerman & Jarvis, 1995). Indeed, craving is sometimes conceptualized as the subjective experience of the drive to smoke when nicotine levels fall below this hypothetical threshold.…”

Cellular and synaptic mechanisms of nicotine addiction

“…A common feature of many addictive drugs, including nicotine, is that they increase dopamine (DA) levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) at the same concentrations that are achieved in serum during selfadministration (Stolerman and Jarvis, 1995;Dani and Heinemann, 1996;Picciotto et al, 1998;Dani and De Biasi, 2001). The principal dopaminergic projections to the NAcc arise from neurons in the VTA (Fig.…”