Warning: Nicotine seriously improves health

[rawstory]

As seen on The Raw Story, http://rawstory.com

Robin McKie, science editor
Sunday July 18, 2004
The Observer

Nicotine could soon be rehabilitated as a treatment for schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, as well as hyperactivity disorders.

Research shows that the chemical that has addicted millions to smoking has a powerful impact on brain activity in patients who suffer from psychiatric and degenerative disorders.

Some experiments have shown that nicotine can slow down the onset of Parkinson's symptoms; others have had revealed its power in curtailing the hallucinations of schizophrenics.

'A whole range of psychiatric conditions seem to be helped by nicotine,' said Dr Dan McGehee, a neurobiologist at the University of Chicago. 'However, such benefits do not justify smoking. The lethal effects of cigarettes far outweigh any help they provide. On the other hand, our research does suggest that derivatives of nicotine, administered medically, could help to alleviate a range of psychiatric problems.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/smoking/Story/0,2763,1263918,00.html

[Massacure]

1. Maybe pigs can fly after all?

As much as I hate smokers, I hope something does come out of this.

[Birthmark]

2. Why do you hate me?

I don't think that I've ever done a thing to you. ???

[ret5hd]

3. you hate us? wow...

if you think about it, this article also shows how strong of a chemical nicotine is, which helps explain why, for some more than others, it seems almost impossible to quit.

[jus_the_facts]

6. Why don't you HATE the dealers who mass produce addiction.....

...instead of their victims...or is that too logical? :think:

[agingdem]

11. Oh, please!

My sister was a paranoid schizophrenic all her 54 years (she committed suicide last year). She smoked 36 of those 54 years. What crap!

[hightime]

15. Once again the lack of scientific interest around here is shown.

You, professor, have definitively debunked this research with your overwhelming anecdotal study of one subject. Will you be publishing your results?

[Pepperbelly]

28. when someone has a very clear personal connection,

do you really think it appropriate to chastise for being emotional?

I do not.

Of course, you are free to do so but, OTOH, I too am free to point out it is a little shitty to do so.

[hightime]

35. Yes, when they use that to offhandedly dismiss scientific study.

"PLEASE"

[agingdem]

30. aaah...

a smoker!

[Snoggera]

31. The point of this article is to point out that nicotine

affects receptors which assist, temporarily, with schizophrenic individuals ability to control symptoms.

Of course, smoking is currently the most efficient method for achieving this. All one has to do is walk to the nearest convenience store and get a pack of cigarettes. So, that is what they do. The question has been what causes them to seek out nicotine? This is the question that may benefit those afflicted eventually, if researchers are able to put together information regarding receptor sites and possible substitutions, chemically, for nicotine.

The fact that they smoke so much was what brought about the research in the first place. Progress is being made in understanding this. They actually use something called the scientific method.

[hightime]

34. You couldn't be further from the truth. Never have, never will.

But don't let that stop you from making baseless assumptions. You probably would have a hard time breaking THAT habit.

[shadu]

36. What kind of dimwitted statement is that?

Many many experts post here on a regular basis.
One need not look far to find accurate info on math, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, law and a plethora of other subjects.

"Once again the lack of scientific interest around here is shown."

That statement is highly disrespectful and just plain untrue.

[Pachamama]

47. A dimwitted statement by a Freeper who posts here much too often

Check out "hightimes" regular postings and you'll see that such statements and personal attacks and profanity are the norm....

[TexasBushwhacker]

42. I'm sorry for your loss

but that doesn't mean that nicotine doesn't have possible therapeutic possibilities. If you read the article it says that 95% of schizophrenics smoke, as compared to on 25% of the general population.

Interesting that they're looking at treatment for both schizophrenia and Parkinson's. Both involve the nuerotransmitter dopamine.

[many a good man]

4. Smoking alleviates MY psychiatric problems

Now I'm afraid if I quit I may face a whole range of psychiatric conditions, possibly even hallucinations.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Surprisingly some mental health centers encourage smoking

My second to the youngest brother took up the habit after briefly institutionalizing himself. Cigarettes were handed out like candy.

A lot of good it did him. He ended up taking his own life by jumping off the balcony of a high rise building.

[Gregorian]

7. This society!

I mean, everything that is here, has a purpose. We're such a stupid group of intelligent people. I honestly think the people who survived in the jungles were way way ahead of us in understanding what makes the universe tick. We know what every square inch of Mars looks like, but we can't see what's right in front of us.

Now maybe we can tackle the more demonic substances, like cannibis.

I shouldn't have posted this, but I'm too lazy to erase it.

[truthisfreedom]

8. drinking red wine and masturbating help prevent cancer, so why shouldn't

nicotine help prevent mental illness? after all, in the long run, an ice age will clear up pollution. everything's good for something, i guess. 8^)

[Snoggera]

9. Quick! Somebody give * a cigarette!!!!!!

Seriously, however, I had noted over my years of working with mentally ill populations, and in particular, those diagnosed with schizophrenia, that most of them smoked. And, they smoked a lot. I had heard of the link to a reduction in symptoms, and believe it is just one more way they have to self-medicate. You can take away their risperdal, but don't take away the smokes or the coffee, or there will be hell to pay.

[kimchi]

10. That is funny; I only noticed my friend is psycho after she quit.

No shit. I've known her for over 3 years, and she never irritated me until she quit smoking.

Her mother was schizophrenic, and she also has some mental problems. I only recently noticed her propensity to denigrate everything and everyone; very negative about her life and she puts down others constantly. It is like all her social skills have fled. I even told her I had noticed a difference. She had stopped for a month when her husband bought her a pack because she was getting on his nerves.

[madrchsod]

12. ahhh it`s shit in tobacco

that total fucks your body up..not the nicotine.nicotine is the most addicting substance in nature and one of the deadliest.. and now it seems could help thousands of people overcome serious problems

[progressivebydesign]

13. The POINT is that the chemical nicotine has promising properties..

.. cigarettes STILL kill hundreds of thousands each year in America. Nicotine as a pill? Fine. Burning thousands of chemicals and inhaling them? Still kills you, and those around you. Take nicotine all you want, it won't affect the health of your children and those nearby.

Can you believe that even now, after we ALL know the tragic effects of smoking, I STILL see people smoking in their cars with a seatload of kids in there with them. Smoking appears to make people incredibly stupid. And no.. opening a window does nothing.

[jus_the_facts]

18. Yeah....what about that smokin' CAR they're smokin' in....

.....bet all THAT carbon monoxide makes ya reeeeeal intelligent too... I mean after ALL we know about smokin' CARS these days! :eyes:

[Endangered Specie]

14. new study (breaking): Masturbating improves eyesight!

:eyes:

[Snoggera]

16. The link between nicotine and reduction of psychiatric symptoms

is nothing new. It has been researched for years. Here's just one example.

http://www.mndaily.com/daily/1997/01/21/news/ap21nd.ap/

and another:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15050867

and another:

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Thought_Disorders/schizo/news/nicotine_2.asp

[peacetalksforall]

17. Has anyone conducted a study on the results of combining nicotine

with over 200 chemicals such as ammonia and msg - just two of the over 200 chemicals in cigarettes.

To talk about this issue you would have to eliminate talking about cigarettes to be precise, because cigarettes are a lot more than nicotine from tobacco.

I would be happy to read a study of the psychiatric effects of smoking ammonia and msg and all the other poisons, one by one and then in combinations.

[Snoggera]

19. I think all the studies point out

that the benefit derived from inhaling nicotine from cigarettes is short-lived, though explains, possibly, why so many people with schizophrenia smoke. No one is advocating that people smoke cigarettes.

I may have misunderstood your point.

[peacetalksforall]

21. All the information in the thread implies that the benefit from

nicotine comes from smoking cigarettes. So I say that any study that pushes cigarettes because of nicotine is foolish. People don't even understand what they are smoking so even if scientists are isolating nicotine, cigarettes provide nicotine plus the other crap, so how can anyone say that it is the nicotine that changes behavior if it all comes in one package and is consume all in one package?

[Snoggera]

22. No, I think you have it upside-down and inside-out

Nicotine is readily available in the product cigarettes, and has been for many years. That is why researchers are studying the effects of nicotine on schizophrenia. If you read some of the studies, of course the benefit from nicotine comes from smoking cigarettes. It is the most widely available method for transporting nicotine into one's system.

They can say that it is the nicotine that changes the behavior because of studies done with pure nicotine in labs that demonstrate this.

[hightime]

23. God forbid anyone reads the article or googles Dr Dan McGehee.

Then, maybe, there could be an intelligent conversation. Nope, instead reflect only on "All the information in the thread".

I sometimes wonder how people can use their computer to post in these threads but never use it to inform themselves before posting.

[peacetalksforall]

32. People in this thread are giving testimony that 'cigarettes' are and

are not helping with psychiatric problems.

[Snoggera]

33. The NICOTINE in cigarettes

and cigarettes are used by those with schizophrenia because they are legal and easily available.

The scientific testing is done, not with CIGARETTES, but with NICOTINE.

Cigarettes may be assisting schizophrenics with dealing with their illness due to the NICOTINE involved. Studies are done to test this correlation.

Why is this so difficult to understand?

[maggrwaggr]

29. that's why I smoke only cigars and chew tobacco leaves

only unadulterated plant leaves.

[ClassWarrior]

20. Does this remind anyone of Woody Allen's "Sleeper?"

n/t

[Snoggera]

24. Woody is a scientist before his time

Cheeseburgers are health food. Yes, they are!

I was reading about soy yesterday, and how it doesn't necessarily have all the benefits, and in fact may have some significant detriments, to health.

It is difficult to change our beliefs, even in the face of evidence to the contrary. That's what Repukes are there for, in my view; to warn all of the dangers of ignorance.

BTW: I love that movie!

:)

[undergroundpanther]

25. Major tranquilizers

Dull you down ,it's horrible to be on this kind of medicine when it's too much of a dose. Try it and you will see how awful it feels..
Doctors in clinics who have huge caseloads tend to overdo meds more often than not.It's easier on parents and staff than having a patient that is different and embarrassing to "proper" people who expect norms to be obeyed by everyone without question.
For some people smoking takes away some of the bad effects of their medications.It puts life into their therapeutic deadness.
So until they find the real causes and purposes of mental illness(and there is no hard evidence of mental illness being physically caused BTW,alot of it is theory and guesses ) There will be no real cures. Scientists and such are limited in perceptions like the rest of humanity the best we can hope for is maybe less people get hurt by the latest theory they are testing on us all.Just symptom controlling band aids to make them act "normal".

What if psychosis was normal part of life a way of personalities reconfiguring themselves,What if insanity has a healthy purpose?
Maybe the way people who work with nature heal people are better for us than how control freak humans want it healing to be like ?

Normal itself is an invention of eugenics.
Eugenics has infiltrated even the way we think
and perceive each other.

Normal is a eugenics-word.

I hate normal.
It is the enemy of diversity and equality.

[Snoggera]

27. I enjoyed this post

and can offer only one point. Insanity may have a purpose, but from what I've seen in twenty years of working with this population, is that it usually manifests itself as a method for self-destruction. Mentally ill people do not usually seek treatment of their own volition. The families have tried to deal with behaviors that are detrimental, attempted probably a thousand methods for "fixing" the problem, and seek assistance as a last resort.

Normal may be a eugenics-word, but the reality of families facing day to day living with a loved one experiencing the effects of severe mental illness is not "normal." People hurt themselves, and those around them while in psychotic states. That is why treatment is sought and the best available treatments, hopefully, are provided.

[TexasBushwhacker]

43. I enjoyed it too

although I will say that people who are depressed are the most likely to seek treatment, only because the symptoms of their illness are so unpleasant. A person who's bi-polar in their manic state enjoys their highs. While there may be some schizophrenics that have pleasant hallucinations, I think the majority of them are unpleasant and scary. As you say, people can hurt themselves and others when in psychotic states.

As for "normal" being a eugenics-word, let's try substituting "functional". If the schizophrenic can function in day to day society, hold down a job, care for themselves, etc. WITH their disease unmedicated, so be it, but that simply isn't the case. While major tranquilizers used to be the only treatment available for schizophrenics, that isn't the case any more. Even newer anti-psychotic drugs have side effects though, sometimes only unpleasant, sometimes dangerous.

[SpiralHawk]

26. Tobacco is the Chief of all the herbs and healing plants

on this Turtle Island (North America). This has been recognized for many thousands of years.

But there is use of a Medicine, and then there is abuse.

Meegwich to the Tobacco Nation.

[merh]

37. Doesn't the shrub smoke?

He still hears voices. :shrug:

[Senior citizen]

38. They told me I'd live ten years longer if I stopped smoking.

Why in the world would I want to do that? I've seen folks go from being nice people to monsters when they quit. I might not live as long if I smoke, but while I'm here I'll be easier to get along with.

[Dulcinea]

45. I'm with you.

If those last 10 years are in a nursing home crapping myself & being a burden on my family, I'll smoke, thank you.

[daleo]

39. I have read of other research like this

And it makes sense to me that something in tobacco (nicotine is the logical substance) must have some benefit, at least in the short term. It would have been impossible to convince hundreds of millions of people to take up the activity, if it had absolutely no positive effects. I believe there are also studies that show nicotine gives a short term boost to various brain functions.

Of course, the very significant harm that tobacco creates far outweighs the minor benefit it confers, at least to the vast majority of the population. Select populations, such as some recovering alcoholics or persons with certain mental illnesses may prefer to run the long-term health risks of tobacco for the short term benefits that nicotine seems to sometimes confer, though. In these cases, I sympathize with the difficult decision they must make.

For what it is worth, I was a light smoker for some time, but quit some years back, and feel that quitting is the rational thing to do for most smokers.

[Trillo]

40. Self-medication.

Since it was recently approved for the FDA to regulate cigarettes, I cannot help but wonder how much longer it will be before growing a tobacco plant will require special licensing. Got tobacco in your back yard? Jail sentence for you! Perhaps, the regulation will consist of removing the active ingredients?

Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, growing tobacco will be similar to marijuana prohibition. The PharmaCos can't allow people who are helped by self-medication through smoking to do this without enough money transferring into corporate and professional hands. According to the original post, hyperactivity disorders are helped. That's a HUGE market.

Gotta raise the price of self-medication. Gotta track all those who are using it. Privacy? There's no privacy in The New World Order.

As an aside: back in the old days of agriculture (not sure how far back, perhaps 100 years), nicotine sulfate was used as a powerful wide-spectrum plant insecticide. Without proper handling, people could easily poison themselves when using it. From the reading I've done about it, it is still one of the few insecticides effective against scale, but I've never seen it for sale anywhere.

[LSU_Subversive]

41. nicotine is a stimulant after all

No big surprise. There's quite a bit of ongoing research looking into the effect of stimulants on medical/psychiatric problems, especially attention and inhibition disorders. Given all the crappy chemicals is cigs, though, this is not to say that we should run out and start smoking cigs. Purer forms of tobacco? Who knows.

BTW, I've always been a non-smoker.

[KTM]

44. The other stuff

[Senior citizen]

46. I used to smoke those--

but they got too expensive quickly. I bought their bulk rolling tobacco, but that got too expensive also. So now I buy non-additive tobacco from a different company -- about $85 for 5 lbs. I tried a sample of American Spirit rolling tobacco recently and it gummed up my rolling machine, so I think it would also gum up my lungs. But it is better than most brands. What I smoke now is called American Harvest. Any moist rolling tobacco probably has additives. Mine comes pretty dry and I keep it in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Link:

http://www.americanthrusttobacco.com