Nicotine & ill health

Nicotine is a substance extracted from the tobacco plant. It is used in insecticides and in tobacco products such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes and brown and white snuff. Nicotine is a poison with a strong impact on the body, for example the heart and blood vessels. Children's brains are particularly sensitive and children also become addicted more quickly than adults.

Nicotine is a toxic and highly addictive substance found in tobacco leaves, and is added to, for example, cigarettes, e-cigarettes and snuff. When you smoke or snuff, the substance is quickly absorbed into the mucous membrane of the mouth or into the lungs. Nicotine binds to nicotine receptors in the brain and for many it is very difficult to break free from nicotine addiction. Young people become addicted more quickly than adults.

Almost everyone who is addicted to nicotine became addicted when they were children. Many children still start smoking, and more and more young people are using new nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and white snus. Children are tempted to try different nicotine products because of marketing by tobacco companies. Peer pressure among friends is also a common reason why children start smoking or using snus.

Tobacco and nicotine have a strong impact on the body, such as the brain and the cardiovascular system. All effects on the body are probably not yet known, but more and more research shows that nicotine negatively affects many different parts of the body. This applies to all products with nicotine in them.

Every year, new statistics are released regarding the use of nicotine products. These statistics are important because they show trends in use. Statistics in recent years show that smoking is slowly decreasing among adults, while the trend among young people is a sharply increased use of, in particular, new nicotine products such as white snus and e-cigarettes.

There are large differences in nicotine addiction in society based on factors such as gender, education, background and mental health. Those who have the hardest time in life use nicotine products to a greater extent than others and also suffer more negative consequences from their use than people who are better off and have the energy to make healthier choices in their everyday lives.

Many people who use tobacco and nicotine products want to be free from their addiction. Many succeed in quitting on their own, while others need medication and professional support. Knowledge is the most important tool to support more people to quit. The Tobacco Control Convention states that everyone has the right to information about the consequences of tobacco, and that those who want and need to quit have the right to support to do so.