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Cigarette smokers self-administer intravenous nicotine.
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
|November 1, 1983
Summary
Human volunteers regulated their own nicotine intake, demonstrating dose-dependent patterns. Nicotine administration produced subjective effects comparable to known addictive drugs, suggesting its abuse potential.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable death.
- Nicotine is the primary psychoactive and addictive component of tobacco.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the self-administration patterns of intravenous nicotine in human smokers.
- To characterize the subjective effects of nicotine in a controlled setting.
Main Methods:
- Human volunteers who smoked cigarettes self-administered intravenous injections of nicotine or saline by pressing a lever.
- Dose-response relationships and patterns of intake were recorded.
- Subjective effects were assessed through self-report.
Main Results:
- Nicotine injections were taken in predictable, dose-related patterns.
- Saline injections showed highly variable intake patterns.
- Volunteers reported subjective experiences similar to those of abused drugs like morphine and cocaine.
Conclusions:
- Humans self-administer nicotine in an orderly, dose-dependent manner.
- Nicotine produces subjective effects indicative of abuse liability.
- These findings support the addictive potential of nicotine in humans.