Do receptors mediate the effects of nicotine on anxiety?
Initial Award Abstract Cigarette smoking has led to an epidemic of lung cancer and heart disease, costing billions of dollars in health care as the major preventable cause of poor health in the United States. In California alone, the cost of smoking on health care reached nearly $16 billion in 1999. Although major efforts have been made to educate people about the health risks associated with smoking and encourage people to stop smoking, millions of Americans continue to smoke. One factor that may contribute to the persistence of smoking is anxiety. During stressful or anxious periods, smokers smoke more heavily and report decreased levels of anxiety following tobacco consumption. It is also during these times of heightened stress or anxiety that those who have quit often start smoking again. In addition, increased anxiety is commonly observed during the first few weeks after stopping smoking. While cigarette smoking is a complex addiction, these findings suggest that smoking may conti
