581 



This is not to say that stopping smoking, or changing any well-liked, habitual behavioi 

 is easy. It takes effort and commitment. But, the process is not different from successfully 

 losing several pounds and maintaining the weight loss or developing a regular exercise 

 program. It is completely different from successfully recovering from hard drug addiction 

 or alcoholism. The true addict must overcome severe physical withdrawal, rebuild every 

 aspect of his life, learn new value systems, and approach life without being constantly 

 intoxicated. None of these impediments is present in stopping smoking. 



2. Psychoactive effect . Originally, the scientific community described the term 

 "psychoactive" to include, as a necessary component, distortions or disruptions in cognitive 

 and motor performance, i.e., intoxication. Those concepts were in effect for decades and 

 were included in the 1964 Surgeon General's Report.^ Smoking/ nicotine, however, does 

 not produce intoxication. To eliminate this inconvenient truth, the 1988 Surgeon General's 

 Report redefined "psychoactive" to mean anything that gets to and produces effects in the 

 brain. Based on this imprecise and revised definition, nicotine is psychoactive. So too is 

 the caffeine in chocolate, coffee and soft drinks. Sugar, warm milk, cheeses, and many other 

 everyday substances and common pleasant experiences (such as watching sporting events or 

 listening to music) also produce psychoactive effects similar to those from smoking. They 

 are quite unlike the profound effects caused by hard drugs and alcohol. It is the intoxication 

 of hard drugs and alcohol that sets them apart and causes muddled thinking and loss of self 

 control. 



^ Robinson, J.H. and Pritchard, W.S., 'The Role of Nicotine in Tobacco Use.' 

 Psvchopharmacologv. 108, (4): 397-407, 1992. 



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