Tamar Nordenberg

Nicotine, a chemical substance found naturally in tobacco leaves, is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream when smoking a cigarette. In the following viewpoint, Tamar Nordenberg argues that the addictive properties of nicotine make it extremely difficult for people to quit smoking even when they want to because of health concerns. Nicotine can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine for some people, she asserts. Nordenberg describes some products that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved to help people quit smoking. These products ease smoking withdrawal symptoms and cravings by supplying the body nicotine through chewing gum, nasal spray, or nicotine patch. Such nicotine replacement therapies, she concludes, can be used in conjunction with counseling, family encouragement, and support groups to enable smokers to break their smoking habit. Nordenberg is a...