The effects of nicotine on the adolescent brain
The tobacco industry’s predatory and insidious marketing tactics to youth seem to be endless, as the industry continues to introduce and promote flavored tobacco products that appeal, and are attractive, to youth. Flavors such as mango, mint, strawberry, and vanilla mask the harsh taste of tobacco and the presence of nicotine, a chemical known to be as addictive as heroin.1
Especially dangerous is the appeal of these products to teens and young adults, who don’t fully understand the health harms of these products. Nicotine is toxic for adolescents with developing brains, as they are more susceptible to both the addictiveness and harm of nicotine.2 Simply put, nicotine is brain poison for youth. Because brain development continues until about the age of 25, nicotine can have negative impacts on teens and young adults. Nicotine actually changes adolescents’ brain cell activity3 in the parts of the brain responsible for attention, learning, and memory.4 It can also worsen:
These circumstances are familiar and already challenging during adolescence. While these effects would be bad for anyone, it’s especially bad for youth, who are still learning and developing habits. While some of these behaviors can be just adolescent phases, nicotine-induced changes to the brain during adolescence can be permanent.9 Nicotine’s harm can lead to long-term effects on the ability to make decisions2 and can also leave teens with an increased risk of addiction to other substances.10
There is nothing good about nicotine. To learn more about the harm of nicotine, visit FlavorsHookKids.org.
