Smoking: Reduced Nicotine In Cigarettes Does Not Help Smokers Quit

New findings published in the journal Addiction examine research on low nicotine content (CLNC) for cigarettes and how this might function as a regulatory measure to help reduce smoke exposure and lower general addictiveness. Unfortunately, the study findings revealed that lower nicotine levels may not be enough. 

The two-year-long study looked at 135 smokers who were given five levels of progressively lower nicotine content cigarettes over the course of one year. The lowest nicotine content cigarette was smoked for 7 months while those in the control group smoked a usual brand of cigarettes for 12 months. Participants were then followed for another 12 months after returning to their own cigarettes or quitting.

Unfortunately, the study findings did not yield a promising conclusion for the future. During the 12-month follow-up, the results revealed that those who received lower levels of nicotine (a nicotine derivative found in plasma that provides an accurate record of the nicotine intake from smoking in recent days) returned to similar levels of smoking compared to those in the control group. In other words, quitting was just as likely among those in the control group as those who had received VLNC cigarettes. Thus, the findings suggest that reducing the nicotine content in cigarettes may not be enough to eliminate smoking dependence.

"We don't know that very low nicotine cigarettes will not' work to reduce nicotine dependence and enhance quitting, but progressively reducing nicotine content of cigarettes in the way we did, without other means of supporting smokers, did not produce the desired results," concluded lead study author Dr Neal Benowitz, in a news release. 

The National Institute of Drug Abuse notes that similar to various addictive substances, even including cocaine and heroin, nicotine increases levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine that affects the brain pathways that control reward and pleasure.

Is a cigarette really worth taking up smoking? Particularly including the financial, mental and physical health effects from this dangerous habit?

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