A smoker usually can't even count the number of times he or she has tried to quit, and miserably failed. The American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society will tell you how lives are needlessly terminated prematurely, with thousands living out their abbreviated lives tied to respirators. In 1987 the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Nicotine Addiction presented documentation that established nicotine as America's major cause of drug dependence. Nicotine addiction claims far more lives worldwide than any other form of drug use.
Experts agree that addiction to nicotine can be just as strong as addiction to cocaine or heroin.
Smokers continue using nicotine despite awareness of its harmful effects. They experience intense craving for the drug and many relapse following a period of abstinence. Nearky 70 percent of current smokers claim they really don't want to smoke, but have not been able to maintain abstinence on their own. One cigarette creates the need for another. Since the body recognizes nicotine as toxic and quickly destroys it, smokers must repeat their dose.