Politically confused. Are NRTs drugs? Is nicotine addiction a disease?

[dubd1c3]

So I need to understand..

FDA says e-cigs are treating nicotine addiction, while we say we see them as cigarette substitutes... a competitor, if you will.

So,

1) Does FDA view nicotine addiction as a disease
2) Does FDA view all tobacco users as addicts
3) Does FDA consider Pharm NRT to be drugs intended to treat a disease
4) Does FDA consider nicotine as a drug or a poison

Are there any resources that can help me answer this? I've been looking...

 

[grndzero]

1) Does FDA view nicotine addiction as a disease

Indirectly yes. Something has to be classified as a disease before they can prescribe something to treat it. Of course they don't call it addiction, but you have to have a prescription to get Chantix. Acid Reflux Disease anyone? What ever happened to heartburn? Oh yeah ... Prilosec and Nexium.

2) Does FDA view all tobacco users as addicts

No, they look at them/us as a risk management source of tax revenue.

3) Does FDA consider Pharm NRT to be drugs intended to treat a disease

If you need a prescription for them, then by definition, yes. Ever see or hear the "Not intended to treat, prevent, or cure any disease" line? It's because it doesn't have FDA approval. Also why e-cigs can not be marketed as Stop Smoking device.

4) Does FDA consider nicotine as a drug or a poison

Good question. If a doctor prescribes it, it's a drug. In the context of cigarettes it's an addictive poison. It's been used as rat poison for a long time. In pure form it's a stimulant just like caffeine, except it's exponentially more potent. It takes a few ml's if not ounces of pure caffeine to kill you, only a few drops of nicotine.

Are there any resources that can help me answer this? I've been looking...

Google and the FDA website. You can probably send e-mail directly to the FDA and get answers from them.

 

[dubd1c3]

Wow grndzero, thanks for these detailed responses!

 

[jamesam1243]

nicotine addiction is an irreversible brain mutation, it is caused by plants that use nicotine to destroy parasites before the parasite can reproduce, it is less effective on humans than it is on insects but can screw up their brains pretty good, there is no cure!
to me it is no more a disease than the liver and kidney malfunctions cause by the ingestion of the industrial toxic waste from our industrial system.

James

 

[grndzero]

nicotine addiction is an irreversible brain mutation, it is caused by plants that use nicotine to destroy parasites before the parasite can reproduce, it is less effective on humans than it is on insects but can screw up their brains pretty good, there is no cure!
to me it is no more a disease than the liver and kidney malfunctions cause by the ingestion of the industrial toxic waste from our industrial system.

James

Do you have ANY hard evience to support ANY of those claims or is it ALL just skepto-babble?

 

[TWISTED VICTOR]

Do you have ANY hard evience to support ANY of those claims or is it ALL just skepto-babble?

In the medical community any addiction is classified as a disease. Also: Addiction: A chronic relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain. Addiction is the same irrespective of whether the drug is alcohol, amphetamines, ......., ......, ........., or nicotine. Every addictive substance induces pleasant states or relieves distress. Continued use of the addictive substance induces adaptive changes in the brain that lead to tolerance, physical dependence, uncontrollable craving and, all too often, relapse. Dependence is at such a point that stopping is very difficult and causes severe physical and mental reactions from withdrawal. The risk of addiction is in part inherited. Genetic factors, for example, account for about 40% of the risk of alcoholism. The genetic factors predisposing to addiction are not yet fully understood.

 

[Xenite]

All addictions are a medical issue, drugs included even though the government treats them as a criminal problem.... but hey they don't get billions in tax dollars from them like they do nicotine. ;-)

 

[grndzero]

nicotine addiction is an irreversible brain mutation ... there is no cure!

This is horrible wording at the least. I agree that some people can be predisposed to addiction and on top of that chemical changes the chemistry of the brain due to addiction. Mutation is beyond an overkill word. People successfully quit smoking, drinking and doing drugs all the time, sometimes cold turkey. The chemical changes can return to balance, the only thing that's irreversible is brain damage.

to me it is no more a disease than the liver and kidney malfunctions cause by the ingestion of the industrial toxic waste from our industrial system.

I don't personally, nor do I know anyone who deliberately ingests toxic waste. Our definitions must vary. And this statement is flame-bait class.