Nicotine

- Cigarette
- Cig
- Ciggy
- Smoke
- Cigars
Nicotine
What is it? A mild central nervous system stimulant.
Also called… Ciggy, cig, smoke.
What does it look like? Cigarettes, cigars, or loose tobacco for rolling.
How is it used? By inhalation (smoking), sometimes by chewing.
Someone might choose to smoke cigarettes or use nicotine to...
feel more alert and energized
stimulate their senses
reduce stress and/or fatigue
feel relaxed
However, nicotine can also…
increase your heart rate
cause restlessness, anxiety, or confusion
stain your teeth
cause diarrhea or headaches
affect your sense of taste and smell
leave you feeling short of breath or nauseous
cause bad breath
make it harder to sleep
cause dizziness
Tolerance (needing more nicotine to achieve the same effect) develops quickly, and nicotine addiction can be extremely difficult to overcome. Quitting nicotine can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as general discomfort, increased appetite, anxiety, constipation, anger, depression, intense cravings to smoke, dizziness, fatigue, high blood pressure, insomnia, irritability, headaches, nausea, nervousness, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, sadness, tremors, and hormonal changes.
If you smoke cigarettes…
Make sure you buy them from a licensed retailer and avoid contraband cigarettes.


