Study Compares Nicotine to Other Drugs
|
August 1994
|
The New York Times reports that 45% of cocaine users said that
the urge to smoke cigarettes is as strong or stronger than that to use cocaine
(Philip J. Hilts, "Is Nicotine Addictive? Depends on Whose Criteria
You Use," August 2, 1994, C3). Among heroin addicts, 38% said
the urge to smoke was as strong or stronger than that to use heroin. Among
those addicted to alcohol, 50% said the urge to smoke is as least as strong
as the urge to drink.
Dr. Jack E. Henningfield of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and
Dr. Neal L. Benowitz of the University of California at San Francisco
ranked six commonly abused drugs by five criteria (1 is the highest capacity
to cause the effect):
Henningfield Ratings
| Substance |
Withdrawal |
Reinforcement |
Tolerance |
Dependence |
Intoxication |
| Nicotine |
3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
| Heroin |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
| Cocaine |
4 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
| Alcohol |
1 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
| Caffeine |
5 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
| Marijuana |
6 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
Benowitz Ratings
| Substance |
Withdrawal |
Reinforcement |
Tolerance |
Dependence |
Intoxication |
| Nicotine |
3* |
4 |
4* |
1 |
6 |
| Heroin |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Cocaine |
3* |
1 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
| Alcohol |
1 |
3 |
4* |
4 |
1 |
| Caffeine |
4 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
| Marijuana |
5 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
*Equal ratings.
- Withdrawal -- Presence and severity of characteristic
withdrawal symptoms.
- Reinforcement -- Substance's ability, in human and
animal tests, to get users to take it repeatedly, and instead of other
substances.
- Tolerance -- Amount of substance needed to satisfy
increasing cravings, and level of plateau that is eventually reached.
- Dependence -- Difficulty in ending use of substance,
relapse rate, percentage of people who become addicted, addicts self-reporting
of degree of need for substance, and continued use in face of evidence
that it causes harm.
- Intoxication -- Level of intoxication associated
with addiction, personal and social damage that substance causes.