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What Causes Nicotine Addiction? of a neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger) called dopamine (sometimes referred to as the pleasure molecule) in an area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, which is an important part of the brain’s reward system, where feelings of pleasure and reward are produced. This part of the brain is the primary target of most drugs of abuse. Brain signals When smoked, nicotine is absorbed by the lungs and quickly moved into the bloodstream, where it is circulated throughout the brain. Nicotine reaches the brain within eight seconds of a person inhaling tobacco smoke. The human brain is not prepared for the effects of nicotine and misinterprets the experience of smoking as something especially significant or profound. It’s difficult for the brain to ignore inhaled nicotine. Effects on the brain The brain tells a smoker that smoking is good—just as it tells you that food is good when you’re hungry. Because of these effects on the brain, the urge to smoke often overrides rational thought and good judgment. And because tolerance to nicotine develops rapidly, higher doses and more frequent use are required for the brain to register the same level of pleasure experienced during initial use. Nicotine and other ingredients in cigarette smoke act upon structures deep in the brain, where emotions and survival drives are located. When stimulated, these structures produce a feeling of pleasure. It’s not uncommon for a person to try several times before successfully quitting smoking. A health care professional such as your primary care physician, can help you develop a treatment plan. Specifically, nicotine stimulates the release ©1999-2003 University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute As with any drug, nicotine’s potential to be addictive is related to how fast it reaches the brain. Smoking and injecting any moodaltering substance dramatically increases a drug’s addiction potential because it reaches the brain faster. Call or visit Achieve Solutions today. www.achievesolutions.net (XXX) XXX-XXX