Nicotine News and Research

RSS

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.

A trial of 3,220 smokers puts cash rewards for quitting to the test

In a randomized trial of 3,220 medically underserved adults referred for lung cancer screening, adding financial incentives to usual care and free medication increased sustained smoking abstinence at six months. Offering free medication alone did not significantly increase quit rates, and adding a forward-looking mobile tool did not improve outcomes beyond the incentives.

11 Oct 2026

Culturally tailored tobacco prevention shows promise for Native youth

Two studies examining commercial tobacco use in Native American communities underscore the importance of culturally responsive prevention and a deeper understanding of how substance use fits into people's everyday lives.

1 Oct 2026

Menthol prolongs nicotine effects in rats exposed to e-cigarettes

Menthol, a common flavoring for both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, may do more than simply change how nicotine tastes or feels.

29 Sep 2026

Smart vapes with financial rewards may raise addiction risks

Vaping products are becoming smarter – and potentially more addictive. Some new devices now reward users with cryptocurrency and other incentives tied to vaping behavior.

28 Sep 2026

Heated tobacco users had more hypertension, but the story is not that simple

A large Japanese real-world cohort study found that current heated tobacco product users had a higher risk of developing hypertension than never-smokers in the primary adjusted analysis. However, the association weakened in several sensitivity analyses, and the observational study could not separate the effects of current heated tobacco use from previous cigarette exposure.

27 Sep 2026

Intuitive eating may be linked to more than a healthier relationship with food

A cross-sectional study of 1,057 U.S. adults examined how intuitive eating relates to stress, sleep, physical activity, substance use, diet, self-rated health, and self-reported cardiometabolic conditions. Higher intuitive eating scores were associated with several favorable health indicators, although the study cannot establish causality or determine the direction of these relationships.

25 Sep 2026

Prenatal cannabis exposure linked to subtle brain and behavioral differences in children

A large ABCD study of 10,838 children found that prenatal cannabis exposure was associated with small differences in resting-state brain connectivity, higher behavioral and emotional problem scores, and lower performance on several cognitive measures in late childhood. PCE-related connectivity patterns partly overlapped with those linked to psychopathology and cognition, although the cross-sectional observational design cannot establish causality or mediation.

22 Sep 2026

Mobile LDCT lung cancer screening can reach vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings

Mobile low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening can reach high-risk and socially vulnerable populations in resource-limited settings, according to initial results from the Third Brazilian Early Lung Cancer Trial (BRELT3) presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC).

15 Sep 2026

Vaping rises among youth despite declining smoking rates

Three large studies together show that, although the number of people who smoke is declining, people are taking up smoking at a younger age and vaping has increased, particularly among children and younger people.

7 Sep 2026

Smoking linked to increased loneliness, study shows

Smoking is not social and leads to increased loneliness, according to a large Europe-wide study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

6 Sep 2026

Psilocybin study explores new treatment for cocaine use disorder

Albert Arias, MD, chief of addiction psychiatry at Carilion Clinic, has received an award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to research how psilocybin, a psychedelic compound being studied for several psychiatric and substance use disorders, can offer a new approach for people with cocaine use disorder.

4 Sep 2026

Why addiction researchers are paying closer attention to GLP-1 drugs

A Journal of Clinical Investigation Viewpoint highlights growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists, particularly semaglutide, may reduce alcohol consumption and some other substance-related outcomes by acting on brain systems involved in reward, motivation, stress, and emotion. However, the authors caution that efficacy for substance use disorders is not yet firmly established and call for further research into optimal dosing, treatment duration, patient selection, mechanisms, and effects across different addictions.

2 Sep 2026

Social media messages could empower parents to prevent teen vaping

Parents are an important line of defense against teen vaping, yet many lack the knowledge and tools needed to recognize vaping products, understand their risks and prevent their children from using them.

31 Aug 2026

Breastmilk from cannabis users showed differences, but cannabis may not be the whole story

A narrative review found that maternal cannabis use may be associated with differences in breastmilk fat, protein, lactose, and the immune factor secretory immunoglobulin A, but evidence comes primarily from only two human studies and remains limited and inconsistent. The authors stress that maternal diet, food security, socioeconomic circumstances, and other forms of adversity could confound these associations and should be incorporated into future research.

31 Aug 2026

People with diabetes may have another reason to protect their cardiovascular health

Better cardiovascular health, measured using Life’s Essential 8, was associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment among people with diabetes after accounting for genetic susceptibility. Associations with dementia varied by genetic risk, while higher LE8 scores were also linked to greater gray matter volume and lower white matter hyperintensity volume.

30 Aug 2026

Mimicking behaviors between smokers doubles daily tobacco consumption

Going out for a smoke together and mimicking behaviors associated with smoking can double tobacco consumption and make quitting more difficult.

28 Aug 2026

Nicotine e-cigarettes help more smokers quit than conventional methods

Nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective in helping people quit smoking than many conventional methods such as nicotine gums and patches and quitting with behavioural support or no support at all, an updated Cochrane review finds.

25 Aug 2026

Survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of youth mental health and drug use in Ontario

Findings from the 2025 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) suggest that Ontario middle and high school students have rebounded from the heightened mental health challenges seen during and immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic.

24 Aug 2026

Review reveals how nicotine damages blood vessels and heart health

A review published today in Nature Reviews Cardiology provides the most detailed picture yet of how nicotine damages the cardiovascular system – tracing the biological chain of events from the moment nicotine binds to receptors in blood vessel walls through to the atherosclerotic plaque rupture that triggers heart attacks and strokes.

19 Aug 2026

Hemp brands exploit social media to market intoxicating products to youth

Brands that market hemp-derived, intoxicating cannabinoid products are capitalizing on lack of oversight on social media platforms to reach consumers, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

19 Aug 2026