# What is the reason (chemically) that people smoke cigarettes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131 "2014-03-20T02:17:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/1 "2014-03-20T02:17:16Z")
So, I was wondering. People can smoke cigarettes for MANY reasons. In this thread I am wondering about the chemical reason why people smoke. I believe it is dopamine. I think it also could be adhrenaline. What chemical does niccotine effect to make it something that people are physically drawn to? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/2 "2014-03-20T02:49:53Z")
Here’s how nicotine works: > **[How Nicotine Works](https://science.howstuffworks.com/nicotine.htm)** > > Smoking or chewing tobacco makes many people feel good, even mildly euphoric. It's the nicotine that produces the buzz. Find out how nicotine affects the human body and what makes it so addictive. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/3 "2014-03-20T02:59:36Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Here’s how nicotine works: > > [How Nicotine Works | HowStuffWorks](http://science.howstuffworks.com/nicotine.htm) Muchos gracias. Whoops… I forgot to do a pre-search to this thread, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/4 "2014-03-20T03:03:49Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Here’s how nicotine works: > > [How Nicotine Works | HowStuffWorks](http://science.howstuffworks.com/nicotine.htm) Very interesting article. I saw this thread just after I posted my own thread… ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/5 "2014-03-20T15:54:36Z")
Actually, that article is probably misleading. It presents a simplistic pop-science explanation that may not hold up when current research is completed. Cigarette addiction is not yet very well understood but there is research going on now. Here’s a starting point for those who want to read about what is being done: [http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/2013-04-07-09-50-07](http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/2013-04-07-09-50-07) One interesting thing in particular is that it may turn out that nicotine itself may not be all that addictive; the addictive part(s) may be some of the other alkaloids in tobacco. Here’s a starting point for learning about WTA (Whole Tobacco Alkaloid): [http://thevaperstable.com/wta-e-liquids/](http://thevaperstable.com/wta-e-liquids/) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/6 "2014-03-20T23:33:06Z")
This needs to be tossed into the mix here: [Schizophrenia and smoking](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia_and_smoking) Also [http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/08/nicotine-therapy-for-schizophrenia/59285.html](http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/08/nicotine-therapy-for-schizophrenia/59285.html) and [http://www.schizophrenia.com/nicotine.benefits.htm](http://www.schizophrenia.com/nicotine.benefits.htm) ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/7 "2014-03-22T14:54:05Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Actually, that article is probably misleading. It presents a simplistic pop-science explanation that may not hold up when current research is completed. Cigarette addiction is not yet very well understood but there is research going on now. > > Here’s a starting point for those who want to read about what is being done: > [http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/2013-04-07-09-50-07](http://www.ecigarette-research.com/web/index.php/2013-04-07-09-50-07) > > One interesting thing in particular is that it may turn out that nicotine itself may not be all that addictive; the addictive part(s) may be some of the other alkaloids in tobacco. Here’s a starting point for learning about WTA (Whole Tobacco Alkaloid): > [http://thevaperstable.com/wta-e-liquids/](http://thevaperstable.com/wta-e-liquids/) :dubious: Are your cites supposed to show anything? All I see are puff piece articles by an e-cigarette advocacy group (that’s totally not supported by the industry, nope, no-sirree) and somebody trying to sell a particular type of e-cigarette liquid. The “simplistic pop-science article” you dismiss at least provides citations from the [National Institute of Drug Addiction](http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2007/10/impacts-drugs-neurotransmission) explaining the brain chemistry with more detail, as well as the [National Institutes of Health](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000953.htm), and the [Mayo Clinic](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nicotine-dependence/basics/definition/con-20014452). Seriously, our understanding of how nicotine affects brain chemistry and causes addiction is backed by decades of solid research. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/8 "2014-03-22T15:37:15Z")
I said those links are “starting points” for those who wish to learn about what the latest research is showing. They contain links to research. Since the subject is so complex I’ll give just one example. Clicking on the menu item “RESEARCH” at the top of the page in my first link leads to: [Nicotine absorption from electronic cigarette use:](http://www.nature.com/srep/2014/140226/srep04133/full/srep04133.html), an article in Nature, which contains 27 links to the studies used … for one example, #17 : Benowitz, N. L., Hukkanen, J. & Jacob, P. 3rd. Nicotine chemistry, metabolism, kinetics and biomarkers. Handb. Exp. Pharmacol. 29–60 (2009). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19184645?dopt=Abstract&holding=npg](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19184645?dopt=Abstract&holding=npg) Actual research, and lots of it – not anti-smoking, anti-tobacco, anti-nicotine puff pieces by organizations with an agenda. From your Mayo Clinic link: > [@](#): > > Nicotine dependence — also called tobacco dependence — is an addiction to tobacco products caused by the drug nicotine. Nicotine dependence means you can’t stop using the substance, even though it’s causing you harm. To researchers _without_ the anti-tobacco product agenda, nicotine dependence and tobacco dependence are not the same thing. In fact, research may be showing that it is not the nicotine in cigarettes that is addictive, but other parts of the tobacco alkaloid. It is complicated. Much more complicated than a pop-sci magazine article. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/9 "2014-03-22T16:19:09Z")
If it’s not nicotine that’s addictive, why do e-cigs and nicotine patches and gum seem to work? ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/10 "2014-03-22T17:01:53Z")
The patches and gum don’t work very well – maybe as many as 10% of users actually quit smoking and stay quit. There are now somewhere near 8 million ecigs users who have quit smoking – it appears the success rate may be somewhere around 70 to 80% … and many of those for whom it didn’t work may have been using weaker styles of ecigs or eliquid. For the first time, cigarette sales and sales of patches and gum have fallen (over 5% last year, I think.) That is why the pharmaceutical companies are going full bore to stop ecigs – and the tobacco companies have all come out with their own brand of ecig (the weaker kind that don’t work very well.) There is a tremendous amount of money at stake and misinformation rules the day as the big players jockey for position. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/11 "2014-03-22T18:46:51Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > This needs to be tossed into the mix here: > [Schizophrenia and smoking](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia_and_smoking) > > Also [http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/08/nicotine-therapy-for-schizophrenia/59285.html](http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/08/nicotine-therapy-for-schizophrenia/59285.html) > and [http://www.schizophrenia.com/nicotine.benefits.htm](http://www.schizophrenia.com/nicotine.benefits.htm) My psychiatrist _insisted_ on me not not smoking. Just met someone whose psychiatrist told her to take it up. Thank god for vaping. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/12 "2014-03-22T19:55:38Z")
My neurologist recomended that I _keep_ smoking! It helps with my progressive multiple sclerosis. I only have smoked a pipe since 2004, never had a cigarette. ---
**Author:** ![oliviamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@oliviamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliviamia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/13 "2014-10-14T19:40:12Z")
Nicotine is one of the most powerful addictive substances on the planet! It is easier to kick heroin than cigarettes ! 400 chemicals in cigarettes including sulfur to make them burn quicker so you smoke and buy more ! ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/14 "2014-10-14T20:14:30Z")
> [@oliviamia](#): > > Nicotine is one of the most powerful addictive substances on the planet! It is easier to kick heroin than cigarettes ! 400 chemicals in cigarettes including sulfur to make them burn quicker so you smoke and buy more ! Please list the chemicals. And if it is harder to kick than heroin, why do we have so many non-smokers? ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/15 "2014-10-14T20:23:53Z")
I know that patches and vaping do not satisy my craving for a cigerette. They tend to overdose me with nicotine making a ciggerette taste bad but still leaving me feeling like I am lacking something that I can only get from tobacco. I tend to smoke more when I am trying to concentrate on something. The effects are very subtle yet as said above extremely addicting. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/16 "2014-10-14T21:06:38Z")
Don’t have time for a proper post, so here’s a bit of a link dump (from a post of mine in a long ago thread) about some of the non-nicotine substances in tobacco that people can be addicted to even more so, or in addition to nicotine. If you read any, start with the first one. > **[Brain monoamine oxidase A inhibition in cigarette smokers](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC19495/)** > > Several studies have documented a strong association between > smoking and depression. Because cigarette smoke has been reported to > inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) A in vitro and in > animals and because MAO A inhibitors are effective antidepressants,... [http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jo01089a004](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jo01089a004) > **[Anatabine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatabine)** > > Anatabine (uh-nat-uh-been,-bin) is one of the minor alkaloids found in plants in the family Solanaceae, which includes the tobacco plant and tomato. Commercial tobacco plants typically produce alkaloids at levels between 2% and 4% of total dry weight, with nicotine accounting for about 90% of the total alkaloid content, and the related compounds anatabine, nornicotine, and anabasine making up nearly all the rest. These compounds are thought to be biologically active, and part of plants' natu An... > **[Harmine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmine)** > > Harmine is a beta-carboline and a harmala alkaloid. It occurs in a number of different plants, most notably the Syrian rue and Banisteriopsis caapi. Harmine reversibly inhibits monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), an enzyme which breaks down monoamines, making it a Reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (RIMA). Harmine does not inhibit MAO-B. Harmine is also known as banisterin, banisterine, telopathin, telepathine, leucoharmine and yagin, yageine. > The coincident occurrence of β-carboline alkaloids... > **[Cotinine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotinine)** > > Cotinine is an alkaloid found in tobacco and is also the predominant metabolite of nicotine. An anagram of the word "nicotine", it is used as a biomarker for exposure to tobacco smoke. Cotinine is currently being studied as a treatment for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Cotinine was developed as an antidepressant as a fumaric acid salt, cotinine fumarate, to be sold under the brand name Scotine but it was never Sim... ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/17 "2014-10-14T21:55:31Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Please list the chemicals. > > And if it is harder to kick than heroin, why do we have so many non-smokers? Most of those never started, that’s why. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/18 "2014-10-14T23:49:55Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > :dubious: Are your cites supposed to show anything? All I see are puff piece articles… A lot of tobacco articles are just blowing smoke. Sometimes the authors get mired in a lot of tar and have to think about applying filters to their data. But anyway, there’s no buts about it, researchers who are on fire today are likely to get snuffed out tomorrow if they don’t justify their hand-rolled budget. They’ve come a long way, baby, and would rather fight than switch careers. They’ll walk a mile for another grant check. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/19 "2014-10-15T00:27:23Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Here’s how nicotine works: > > [How Nicotine Works | HowStuffWorks](http://science.howstuffworks.com/nicotine.htm) They state “tobacco was used to protect against the ravages of the bubonic plague in the Middle Ages.” The bubonic plague in the Middle Ages was in the late 1340s, and the bubonic plague of the 1660s was not during the Middle Ages. I hope their science is better than their history! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-reason-chemically-that-people-smoke-cigarettes/684131/20 "2014-10-15T01:50:09Z")
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