The role of nicotine in tobacco smoking: implications for tobacco control policy

This paper outlines some of the evidence that tobacco smoking is maintained by addiction to nicotine. Smokers often perceive that tobacco helps them cope with stress and aids their mental alertness. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are one important factor preventing many smoker from quitting (only about 3% succeed with each unaided quit attempt). A number of policies are suggested to reduce the health consequences of smoking more quickly than at present. These include (a) banning all tobacco advertising and prosecuting retailers who sell illegally to children, in order to reduce the number of young people becoming addicted, (b) increasing the real price of tobacco in order to encourage more people to try to stop smoking, (c) providing specialist smokers' clinics in every large general hospital in order to assist highly motivated but addicted smokers to quit and (d) increasing the rate at which tobacco manufacturers must reduce permissible tar and carbon monoxide yields, such that in 20 years time only nicotine delivery products which are free of tar and carbon monoxide will be allowed.