My presentation is on Nicotine Use Disorder. It falls under substance related disorders in the DSM IV and is defined as, “The disorders related to the taking of a drug of abuse (Including Alcohol), to the side effects of a medication and to toxin exposure”. Let me first start with a brief introduction of smoking (the number one nicotine related killer) and some statistical data retrieved from the US Centers For Disease Control.Tobacco smoking is the number one cause of reversible mortalities in the United States. Tobacco use is related to 400,000 deaths annually in the United States. A person who smokes one pack a day has an average life expectancy 5 years less than a nonsmoker, and for a two pack a day smoker, 7 years less. Smoking is responsible for 30 percent of all cancers in the general population and 90 percent of all lung cancers in men and 79 percent in women. It also triplicates the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. There is also an increased risk of emphysema and bronchitis. However, nicotine dependence applies to all forms of tobacco to include cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, pipes and cigars. It can also include prescription medications such as the nicotine gum and patch. The relative ability to produce dependence depends on the method of administration (smoked, oral or transdermal) and is also dependent on the nicotine content of the product. Contrary to some of the other substance related disorders, not all substance related dependence criteria apply to nicotine. Tolerance is usually observed as having a more intense effect the first time it is used during the day (The “Morning Smoke”) and the lack of dizziness and nausea after repeated administration. Another sign with individuals who use nicotine is the likeliness to find they use up their supply of nicotine producing drugs faster than they originally intended. I’m sure you have all heard the phrase, “Can I bum a smoke?&...
