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nicotine is addictive. Third, certain mild piiarmacological effects were reported, 

 but these were in context of narrow laboratory studies that do not tell us very 

 much about smoking behavior in real life. Fourth, as a clinical psychiatrist, the 

 most relevant aspects of reports, such as Project WHEAT, are those which actually 

 collected psychological information on smoking behavior. 



The authors examined the relationship between nicotine levels and cigarette 

 choice. They replicated prior research about certain factors which enter into a 

 smoker's decision to smoke. This decision making framework was called "Inner 

 Need" in the literature and so the same term was used in Project Wheat. "Inner 

 Need" did not refer to a physiologic need, physical craving, or uncontrollable drive 

 but instead referred to such reasons for smoking as relaxing, watching TV, reading 

 a book, etc. This study demonstrated that "Inner Need" showed no relationship 

 with the nicotine delivery of the brand usually smoked. The data themselves _^. 

 actually demonstrate multiple reasons for smoking and explicitly report very little 

 difficulty or symptomology when quitting smoking. They also spoke to a 

 "requirement" for nicotine which refers to the test subjects' preference for certain 

 levels of nicotine in the sample cigarettes. The "requirement " varied greatly among 

 the test subjects and was not linked to any physiologic effects of nicotine. While 

 these data show that nicotine is an important aspect of smoking, they also reveal 

 that, unlike addicting drugs but like coffee, taste, aroma and satisfaction are also 

 considered to be determining factors, 



When I compare this additional information to my clinical experience with 

 drug addicts, it reemphasizes my conclusion that it is inappropriate and 

 unwarranted to consider smokers as addicts. 



m^^ 



Dr. Stephen M. Raffle 

 June 23, 1994 



