Nicotine in the Bay Area
Nicotine is a highly-addictive drug known for its relieving effects.
Though most high schoolers (even those with a lot of drug experience) try to stay away from nicotine, many fall into a detrimental (and lifelong) addiction.
Forms
Nicotine comes in several forms, the most obvious (and common) of which are cigarettes and vapes. A newer nicotine product is on the rise in the United States, and especially in the Bay Area: Zyns. Zyns are small nicotine pouches that are "popped" into the mouth and places between the upper lip and tongue.
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| Four containers of 6mg Zyns (Source: WSJ) |
Zyns have halted production and selling as of July 2024, with no expectation of a return.
Supply Chain
Though the world of tobacco is intricate, nicotine works its way into students' hands from major retailers - gas stations, CVS, etc. It is most commonly purchased by an adult - a parent or a sibling to the student. Rarely, a student will purchase tobacco with a fake ID.
What can Parents and Educators do?
As with any drug, it is crucial to ensure that your student does not take any other drugs. Make sure your student knows the risks of nicotine and the effects nicotine addiction has on their lives.
Ensure your student knows how to respond to peer pressure.
Chemical Information
Nicotine is an organic compound.
Nicotine is known to bind to Ganglion and CNS receptors in the brain, taking the place of natural chemicals in the brain. It most notably takes the place of acetylcholine, a naturally occurring neurotransmitter.
How it works in the brain
When nicotine is taken (smoked, chewed, etc.), a rush of nicotine enters the brain, preventing acetylcholine from binding to available receptors. Both nicotine and acetylcholine are responsible for acting as a "key" to the receptor, allowing a bridge to open to sodium ions. However, for reasons that are still being researched, the nicotonic receptor that normally accepts the two compounds does NOT regenerate after exposure to nicotine.
For this reason, long-term exposure to nicotine causes desensitization - there simply aren't as many receptors in the brain left.
When nicotine is smoked, it causes an immediate high due to easiest connectivity to the brain. Following the high, there is a quick drop-off. Because of this, a dependency on cigarettes and e-cigarettes may quickly spiral.
Other methods of inhaling nicotine include snuff, chewing, and gum. Though the others may not seem as potent due to their common high-inducing patterns, they include much higher doses of nicotine and create another dependency.
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