Nicotine News and Research

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Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (''Solanaceae'') which constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots, and accumulating in the leaves.

New experimental study shows immunotherapy can reduce acute effects of heroin

Immunotherapy could have a place in the treatment of substance abuse in the future. A specific antibody can reduce the acute effects of heroin, according to a new experimental study at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

21 Jan 2015

Venom of cone snails provides leads for possible treatment of cancer, addiction

While considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, snails have found a more intriguing use to scientists and the medical profession offering a plethora of research possibilities. Cone snails are marine mollusks, just as conch, octopi and squid, but they capture their prey using venom.

15 Jan 2015

How quickly smokers metabolise nicotine may point to best quitting method

The success of different smoking cessation treatments could be predicted by how quickly smokers break down (metabolise) nicotine in their bodies, according to new research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.

13 Jan 2015

New study shows that menstrual cycle may have an effect on nicotine cravings

The menstrual cycle appears to have an effect on nicotine cravings, according to a new study by Adrianna Mendrek of the University of Montreal and its affiliated Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal.

5 Jan 2015

Making New Year's resolution to quit smoking a reality

Each year on January 1st, Americans make goals for the New Year, ranging from getting in shape and spending more time with their families to decreasing debt. This year, make a resolution that will not only improve your health, but also save you money— quit smoking. According to the Surgeon General's most recent tobacco-related report, cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death worldwide.

30 Dec 2014

Intriguing small molecule directs activity of key ‘clock proteins’

In research published in Nature Communications, Thomas Burris, Ph.D., chair of pharmacological and physiological science at Saint Louis University, reports intriguing findings about a small molecule that directs the activity of key "clock proteins," offering the potential to manage circadian rhythm and treat problems that are associated with its dysfunction, like sleep and anxiety disorders.

24 Dec 2014

It's too early to know health effects of e-cigarettes

Cigarettes have been convicted of many crimes over the years. But the jury's still out on whether their younger, more fashionable cousins - electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes - will meet the same fate.

24 Dec 2014

Emerging evidence suggests electronic cigarettes can help smokers quit

New Cochrane review finds emerging evidence that smokers who use electronic cigarettes can stop or reduce their smoking.

17 Dec 2014

E-cigarettes expose rising number of teens to nicotine

Researchers at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center and University of Hawaii Cancer Center find that one-third of Hawaiian adolescents have tried e-cigarettes, half of whom have never used another tobacco product.

16 Dec 2014

More U.S. teens try e-cigarettes than tobacco cigarettes, study reveals

In 2014, more teens use e-cigarettes than traditional, tobacco cigarettes or any other tobacco product—the first time a U.S. national study shows that teen use of e-cigarettes surpasses use of tobacco cigarettes.

16 Dec 2014

Study sheds light on e-cigarette behaviors among teenagers in the U.S.

E-cigarette use among teenagers is growing in the U.S., and Hawaii teens take up e-cigarette use at higher rates than their mainland counterparts, a new study by University of Hawaii Cancer Center researchers has found.

16 Dec 2014

Many college students regard hookah smoking safer than smoking cigarettes

Despite emerging evidence otherwise, many college students consider hookah smoking safer than smoking cigarettes, reports a University of South Florida College of Public Health study published this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

14 Dec 2014

Researchers find that one in six Ontario adults reports a history of TBI

Nearly seventeen per cent of adults surveyed in Ontario said they have suffered a traumatic brain injury that left them unconscious for five minutes or required them to be hospitalized overnight, according to new research. These same adults also reported more substance use, smoking and recent psychiatric distress.

11 Dec 2014

E-cigarettes not as addictive as tobacco cigarettes

E-cigarettes appear to be less addictive than cigarettes in former smokers and this could help improve understanding of how various nicotine delivery devices lead to dependence, according to researchers.

10 Dec 2014

New study finds that military culture enables use of tobacco for stress relief

Military culture perpetuates the notion that using tobacco provides stress relief, a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion finds. But other stress relievers, such as exercise or taking meditation breaks, could be more valuable and effective than smoking breaks and avoid the health risks of tobacco.

7 Dec 2014

Abstinence-induced changes in the brain could help predict relapse in smokers

Quitting smoking sets off a series of changes in the brain that Penn Medicine researchers say may better identify smokers who will start smoking again—a prediction that goes above and beyond today's clinical or behavioral tools for assessing relapse risk.

5 Dec 2014

Kessler Institute provides tips to help reduce risk of injury during winter months

Winter appears to have arrived early, bringing with it record snowfalls and cold temperatures across the country. It also brings an increased risk for injuries. Whether shoveling snow, dealing with icy roads, or simply trying to walk on wet, slippery pavement, caution is the key word.

29 Nov 2014

Snus consumption in Norway is highest among young people

The increase in Scandinavian snus consumption in Norway is highest among young people, according to a new report from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

21 Nov 2014

Electronic cigarettes reduce smoking habits

Electronic cigarettes offer smokers a realistic way to kick their tobacco smoking addiction. In a new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, scientists at KU Leuven report that e-cigarettes successfully reduced cravings for tobacco cigarettes, with only minimal side effects.

20 Nov 2014

Scientists receive NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Grants for mental health research

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation today announced the award of NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Grants valued at $1.5 million to 15 scientists, who are full professors or the equivalent, conducting innovative projects in diverse areas of neurobiological and behavioral research.

13 Nov 2014