subject: Nicotine and its Effects [print this page] It is a fact that nicotine does produce some harmful effects on the brain since nicotine has the characteristics of a psychoactive substance. Nicotine also generates psychological effects of ecstasy similar to that created by some of the standard drugs that are abusively used by many. These facts point out that nicotine has got the ability to produce compulsive behaviour in users. Apart from these, people who had been exposed to drugs for long periods reported that some of the effects of nicotine were similar to that created by cocaine and amphetamine. Some studies using animals as subjects were conducted to find out whether the psychological effects of nicotine have got anything to do with social factors. Animals are used in testing because they usually respond to most of the drugs as humans do. By conducting the experiments on animals, it was assumed that the responses are the result of the biological effects of these drugs and are in no way related to any kind of socio-cultural factors. In one of the experiments, white rats were given training to press one switch when they received a dose of a stimulant. They were trained to press another switch when they received a substance that has the properties of a sedative. When the animals were administered with nicotine, these living beings pressed the switch corresponding to the stimulant. It was noticed that the bigger the dose, the more vigorously they pressed the switch. The researchers say that, like humans animals also can feel the injections, and these injections can really influence them. People who volunteered for the project and some animal species were given access to nicotine in the self-administration studies. Both the subjects took doses of nicotine voluntarily. The patterns and ways by which nicotine was administered by human volunteers were of interest to the researchers since the patterns were somewhat similar to those found when people yearned for cigarettes. These studies helped researchers determine whether the stuff is significant by itself, or if some social factors come into play forcing the subject to take the drug. These self studies were central in showing that the culprit nicotine could actually serve as a reinforcing agent. Other factors that impel one to smoke including taste, satisfaction and peer approval did not play much of a part. These studies carried out on human and animal subjects point out that the biological effects of nicotine are adequate for it to do the job of a reinforcing agent. If re-phrased in another way, the factors responsible, including television advertisements, peer pressure and the various attempts to assert ones masculinity or independence, have got very little effects on this particular aspect. This is not to say that the different socio-cultural factors are not at all important. But, it shows that nicotine's biological effects make it a very ideal drug that has the potential to be abused and instigate addiction in the users, principally because it is so easily available everywhere. And, the National Institute is in agreement with other organizations in re-affirming this.
