Based on a recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health, it appears that the amount of nicotine in cigarettes has been steadily increasing over the past 7 years or so. Specifically, the study found that the amount of nicotine being delivered to the smoker's lungs has increased by at least 1.6 percent per year for a total of 11% for the period of 1998-2005.
It's uncertain at this time what exactly the cigarette manufacturer's have done to increase the nicotine yield whether it's adding it to the tobacco directly or adding something else in the manufacturing process. Either way, it's pretty disturbing.
As we all know, nicotine is what makes cigarettes so addictive and increasing the nicotine levels increases the likelihood of people getting hooked on smoke, regardless of age, race or whatever other factors you want to try throwing into the mix. Despite previous committments by the tobacco industry to work to discourage younger teens from getting into smoking, the increasing of nicotine just goes to show that they're still working to get people even more addicted to their products.
I'm sorry for those Geeky Guide readers who smoke, but frankly I'm pretty much against the habit, my asthma nonwithstanding. It's a proven health risk and it puts other people at risk and it really doesn't do anyone any good to continue the habit. I can only hope that the results of this study act as a means of getting Big Tobacco to reduce the nicotine levels in their products or to get the government involved in implementing stricter controls on the industr despite the deep pockets of their lobbyists.
A guy can dream, right?
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