Properties of nicotine Nicotine is a stimulant drug, but paradoxically effects of both stimulation and relaxation may be felt. The mental and physical state of the smoker, and the situation in which smoking occurs, can influence the way in which a particular cigarette will affect psychological perceptions. However, recent research has suggested that in the long term, nicotine depresses the ability of the brain to experience pleasure. Difficulty in quitting Possibly one of the strongest indicators of the effect of nicotine is the discrepancy between the desire to quit and quitting success rates. Twenty per cent or less of those who embark on a course of treatment succeed in abstaining for as long as a year and the proportion who give up unaided is even smaller.
Most smokers take several attempts to quit before they finally succeed.
The power of addiction is also demonstrated by the fact that some smokers are reluctant to stop smoking even after undergoing surgery for smoking-induced diseases. Around forty per cent of those who have had a laryngectomy try smoking soon afterwards, while about 50 per cent of lung cancer patients resume smoking after undergoing surgery. There are a number of markers which can measure dependence on a substance. A key factor is the degree of compulsion to take the drug experienced by the user. Most smokers smoke on a daily basis.