Is Nicotine the new wonder drug ? Part 2.

PARKINSON’S DISEASE

In 1966, Dr Harold Kahn, an epidemiologist at the National Institutes of Health, began investigating the healing potential of nicotine after studying health data and noticing the statistical aberration that nonsmokers were at least three times more likely than smokers to die from Parkinson’s Disease. Why? Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, the key neurotransmitter that appears to deteriorate in Parkinson’s Disease patients. The release of dopamine in the striatum part of the brain aids with the control of movements, helping to alleviate the shaking and tremors often associated with PD.


While animal studies have been conducted and there are plenty of anecdotal reports from PD patients who use nicotine to ease their symptoms, the first human clinical trial for nicotine as a Parkinson’s Disease treatment is currently underway for 160 adults with PD, sponsored by the Michael J. Fox Foundation . A 2014 article in Discover Magazine argues that nicotine has the potential to be the new Parkinson’s Disease “wonder drug.”


ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative brain disease that specifically affects memory, thinking and behavior. In America, 5 million adults over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s, with a new person being diagnosed every 67 seconds. It also the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. and 5th leading cause of death among people 65 and older. Nicotine, delivered either intravenously or subcutaneously, has been shown to improve cognitive tasks in people with Alzheimer’s disease, and even delay the onset of clinical dementia by reducing the rate of neurons lost in the brain.


ARE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES LESS HARMFUL THAN REGULAR CIGARETTES?

Millions of people across the world now use e-cigarettes, and while it is too soon for any longitudinal studies on their effects, many scientific studies published in the last few years suggest that vaporizing nicotine is much less harmful than smoking it in cigarettes. According to one 2013study that analyzed nicotine vapors from 12 different brands, their level of toxicants was anywhere from 9 to 450 times lower than toxicants found in cigarette smoke. A 2014 literature review entitledElectronic Cigarettes: Fact and Fiction alleges that the toxicity of nicotine vapor is nowhere near that of cigarette smoke, noting that the concentration of toxins in most vapors is below 1/20th of the level of toxicity in cigarettes. While the propylene glycol used to make some nicotine liquids may be an irritant, its toxicity concentration is also low.


In spite of the data clearly showing that e-cigarettes offer a much less harmful form of nicotine delivery than smoking, many organizations (such as the Word Health Organization) have rushed to warn the public of the dangerous of e-cigarettes. Even the city where I reside, Boulder, CO has proposed a ban on the use of vaporized nicotine in centrally located public spaces. If enacted, this policy would fly in the face of a 2014 report published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health stating that “e-cigarettes, even when used in no-smoking areas, pose no discernable risk to bystanders.” Boulder CO is known internationally as a mecca for health conscious living, so it seems counter-intuitive for the city to go against science and punish residents who opt for the healthier alternative for their nicotine consumption (learn more on the proposed e-cigarette ban in Boulder, CO).


Bans on the public use of vaporized nicotine become especially problematic in light of the potentially profound benefits that nicotine may offer for many individuals who are suffering from debilitating mental and physical illnesses. Surely the pubic would want to embrace and support vaporized nicotine that does not harm bystanders but does help a citizen manage his Parkinson’s symptoms or treat her depression?