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Fizza Mahmood
27 Oct 2024
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Australia. There are various ways tobacco is smoked. It can be via cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or shisha. The nicotine component in tobacco smoking makes it addictive and can be harmful.
Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical found in tobacco plants, found in cigarettes, cigars, and most e-cigarettes. It is toxic, which can harm brain development, cause lung diseases, and impact memory and attention. It can cause dependency, making it hard for individuals to quit nicotine consumption.
A cigarette contains up to 600 different substances, which, when burned, produce 7000 chemicals. An average cigarette contains acetone, ammonia, arsenic, butane, carbon monoxide, and lead. The nicotine content in each cigarette can be wildly different due to the brand.
E-cigarettes or Vapes are battery-powered devices. They heat a liquid to make it into a fine aerosol to be inhaled. Many individuals have turned to e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking cigarettes. However, due to safety concerns, these are not approved products for quitting smoking. Though the vape avoids burning tobacco, the liquid inside contains nicotine and a complex mix of chemicals, including nickel, tin, lead, and chlorine.
The amount of nicotine in a cigarette can vary depending on the brand. It usually ranges from about 6 mg to 12.6mg, with some high content ones at 28 mg of nicotine. There are many brands of cigarettes, each with different amounts of tobacco in them.
The majority of individuals do not inhale the whole cigarette and let it burn out, hence, the full amount of nicotine will not be inhaled. Usually, 1-2 mg of nicotine will be smoked with each cigarette, and if a pack of 20 cigarettes is smoked, then the nicotine inhaled will be 22 to 36mg.
A vape can contain 40 mg of nicotine, and on average, a person vaping absorbs 50% of the nicotine in a vape. So about 20 mg of nicotine is absorbed from vaping. This means a person vaping absorbs about the same amount of nicotine as a pack of 20 cigarettes.
There are different levels of e-liquids used in various strengths, typically claimed to range from 0 to 24 mg. There have been traces of nicotine in the zero-nicotine vape, too, which could mean that the nicotine levels in vapes may be misleading.
The difference in nicotine levels in cigarettes and vaping devices ranges from 12mg in a cigarette to 24mg in a vape.
The difference between cigarettes and vaping devices is the absorption of nicotine into the body. Through a cigarette, the nicotine is absorbed via the lungs and thus quickly reaches the brain, releasing dopamine in the process.
Whilst the vaping device inhales the nicotine through the mouth and lungs, the absorption varies due to the type of liquid aerosol, the concentration of the nicotine, and the amount of vaping.
When you smoke, harmful substances enter your lungs and move into the bloodstream. They can reach the brain, heart, and other organs within 10 seconds of the first puff. The nicotine in tobacco products makes your brain release a chemical called dopamine, which is a feel-good chemical that makes you feel happy, helps you concentrate, and gives you more energy. Then, as the nicotine levels in the body fade, your brain craves more dopamine.
This dopamine becomes a cycle where the more you smoke, the more dopamine is needed to satisfy the feeling. Once the body doesnt receive the nicotine, it will suffer withdrawal symptoms.
Beyond being a potentially addictive substance and changing your brain chemistry, nicotine can have long-term personal health effects and can be harmful to public health. Quitting smoking is a transformative decision with numerous lifestyle and health benefits. While it can be challenging, the long-term advantages make it a life-changing choice.
Individuals on the journey to quitting smoking should have guidance from health professionals and support workers to make a significant difference.
Effects of smoking and tobacco | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Fizza is a registered pharmacist with APHRA and has been with Simple Online Doctor since 2023. With a Bachelor of Pharmacy and 8 plus years of experience as a pharmacist, Fizza has a strong passion to improve patient care via enhancing the quality and continuity of care delivered through digital health platforms.
Tyson is a clinical pharmacist in charge of the development and improvement of patient services. He provides clinical support to our team of healthcare professionals and ensures patient health and wellbeing are at the centre of all our services.
Last Reviewed : 27/10/2024
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