BPK 458 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Caffeine, Vancouver Coastal Health, Acetylcholine
21 Aug 2016
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Smoking is a principal causative factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in north america (heart and stroke foundation of canada). It is the single most significant cause of preventable death and illness in canada. Fifty percent of all smokers die from a smoking-related illness and the average smoker loses 22 years of life (canadian council for. Nicotine, present in the tobacco leaf, is one of the main ingredients in tobacco. It is a central nervous system stimulant and is classified as a drug. Although it is less dramatic than heroin or cocaine, the strength of the addiction is just as powerful. It is a reinforcing drug, which means that users desire the drug regardless of their knowledge of its damaging effects (health canada, 2007). The human body builds a tolerance to nicotine and the effect of the drug is reduced over time. Addiction to nicotine may take weeks or months to develop.
