If you were asked to name some of the most addictive drugs in the world, what would you say? Cocaine? Heroin? Alcohol? Would you include tobacco in this list?
I doubt many individuals would because most are unaware that nicotine in tobacco is not only a drug but also one of the most addictive drugs on the planet. In fact nicotine is more addictive than alcohol, cocaine, and heroine. Nicotine causes biological changes in the brain leading smokers to become dependent on the drug and experience withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to quit.

Understanding the addictive nature of tobacco, I am troubled that we continue to allow the tobacco industry to use both conventional and non-conventional methods to market their drug to society. Cocaine dealers are not allowed to sponsor sports events or concerts or advertise in magazines, yet tobacco dealers are. Constant bombardment with tobacco images prompts cravings in the brain, making it difficult for smokers to break their addiction and triggers relapse in former smokers.

As a public health professional I am concerned about the growing tobacco epidemic and the estimated 10 million deaths each year tobacco use will cause in 2030. I realized that I needed to understand the nature of tobacco addiction to know what we are fighting and where to intervene. In my search for information I found the website Global Tobacco Control: Learning from the Experts (www.globaltobaccocontrol.org). This website provides free online lectures on tobacco control presented by subject experts from around the world. If you are interested in learning more about tobacco addiction, you should check out the Tobacco Addiction lecture by Jack Henningfield, PhD. This lecture helped me grasp tobacco addiction and understand what we are up against.