Nicotine is Not a Vice

In 30 Years, Medical Nicotine Approved in California

Nicotine is a self-medicating drug, highly used worldwide by those with mental illness because it works! (Caffeine works too but caffeine is not interchangeable with nicotine - they have different effects). I am interested in whether lung cancer in mental illness smokers exceeds damage caused by self-harm, harm to others, & basic cost to the community. Wonder if we can relate the higher-and-higher "sin tax" imposed on cigarettes to measurable impact(s) on those with a clear mental illness diagnosis. May be a difficult analysis in the midst of a recession. Note that there are many people self-medicating with nicotine, caffeine and alcohol throughout the world who have never been diagnosed with a mental illness. Also have read that not one person has died from second-hand smoke. And, indeed, I will never forget the psychiatrist's talk to a large group (>60 people) where he said, "Nicotine is not the problem. Nicotine is a great medicine. It's the delivery system - pulling tar and crap into the lungs - that is the problem."

-k