When most people hear the word nicotine, they immediately think of cigarettes and the many smoking related illnesses that kill thousands of people every year. However, according to new medical research, nicotine by itself is no more harmful than caffeine.
Caffeine vs. Nicotine: The Differences and Similarities
Nicotine and caffeine both act as stimulants when consumed and, although they can be poisonous in very high doses, they are relatively safe to consume in moderate amounts and may even provide therapeutic benefits. Caffeine is usually ingested through liquids like coffee and soda, but it can also be taken in pill form. Nicotine is absorbed by the lungs through inhalation or through the skin with direct contact. Both substances are alkaloids naturally present in plants that facilitate the release of dopamine in humans. When consumed, they stimulate the central nervous system, which can have short-term cognitive benefits such as increased alertness.
As any smoker or coffee drinker will attest, nicotine and caffeine are certainly addictive substances; although, newer research indicates that other chemicals besides nicotine contribute to smoking addiction, so nicotine alone may be less addictive than previously believed. Taking in too much nicotine or caffeine both result in similar problems: vomiting, nausea, anxiety, dizziness, headache, insomnia and arrhythmia. Sudden withdrawal from either stimulate can also cause headaches and nausea along with fatigue and irritability.
Caffeine vs. Nicotine: Possible Therapeutic Benefits
People wouldn’t consume nicotine and caffeine if there were no benefits. Coffee fiends and scientists agree that small amounts of caffeine can boost alertness and memory retention. Caffeine can also speed up muscle glycogen replenishment, which reduces post-workout muscle pains. As an appetite suppressant, caffeine can indirectly prevent weight gain, which is why caffeine pills are sometimes marketed as diet pills. Caffeine may also promote hair growth, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and detox the liver. Some people believe in the cleansing power of caffeine so much that they regularly take coffee enemas.
Nicotine solution should definitely never be taken in enema form, but according to research, oral ingestion and inhalation of nicotine may also suppress appetites, aid cognition and improve mood. In addition to studies suggesting nicotine in its pure form may reduce anxiety and blood pressure, nicotine has also demonstrated other possible medical benefits in the treatment of numerous neurological conditions including Schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, ADHD and Alzheimer’s.
Vaping v.s. Smoking: Nicotine Delivery
Not all e-liquids contain nicotine, and one of the benefits of using e-cigs for nicotine delivery is the level of customization in nicotine levels. For example: White Cloud offers 6 different nicotine strengths ranging from 5.4% nicotine all the way down to nicotine-free. This level of nicotine customization allows e-cig users to choose a level of nicotine that suits them and may help them cut back on smoking or even quit tobacco altogether.
E-cig studies have shown that smokers who switch to e-cigs have better luck giving up tobacco for good if they vape with an e-liquid that has nicotine. The small doses of nicotine delivered by e-cigs can help curb the side effects of tobacco withdrawal in the same way that nicotine gum and patches do; however, many people prefer e-cigs over nicotine replacement therapies because they have the added bonus of replacing the physical act of smoking with the similar act of vaping. Per puff, e-cigs deliver smaller and more consistent doses of nicotine than traditional tobacco cigarettes.
In addition to nicotine, combusted tobacco releases thousands of chemicals in large quantities. The nicotine in e-liquid, on the other hand, has been extracted from a plant and is vaporized in a solution usually containing less than a handful of ingredients. E-liquid is also heated by a battery, rather than fire; therefore the nicotine solution is heated at a lower and more consistent temperature than lit cigarettes, which is one of many reasons e-cigs are suggested to be exponentially safer than tobacco cigarettes. According to Public Health England’s 2015 evidenced-based report on e-cig safety, the rate of nicotine absorption via vaping is slower than smoking, yet it’s faster than other nicotine replacement therapies.
The Need to Destigmatize Nicotine
While chronic caffeine consumption can make a person jittery, no major health organization is rallying for stronger FDA regulations on coffee. Nonetheless, government agencies continue to target e-cigs because the majority of the public perceives nicotine and tobacco as one and the same. As supporters of tobacco harm reduction, we must expound the possible virtues of nicotine and let everyone know how smoking tobacco drastically differs from vaping nicotine solution.
