Cons and Possible benefits of nicotine.

[DC2]

I guess I'll drop this here after your post...


As far as the question of whether or not nicotine is significantly addictive...
Nicotine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Technically, nicotine is not significantly addictive, as nicotine administered alone does not produce significant reinforcing properties. However, after coadministration with an MAOI, such as those found in tobacco, nicotine produces significant behavioral sensitization, a measure of addiction potential.

tobacco smoke contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors harman, norharman, anabasine, anatabine, and nornicotine. These compounds significantly decrease MAO activity in smokers. MAO enzymes break down monoaminergic neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. It is thought that the powerful interaction between the MAOI's and the nicotine is responsible for most of the addictive properties of tobacco smoking.

Here is similar information from a study by an Arizona State professor emeritus...
Professor: Nicotine does not cause cigarette addiction | The State Press - An independent daily serving Arizona State University

And here is a recent study from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research...
Nicotine Is Not the Sole Addiction Causing Agent in Cigarettes

Penelope Truman, from ESR (Institute of Environmental Science and Research) presented a study at this week's Smokefree Oceania conference in Auckland, New Zealand. She conducted this study on rats using pure nicotine and tobacco particulate matter (TPM) along with cigarettes and roll- your-own RYO/TPM and found that the rats were more eager to get a dose of non-nicotinic cigarette especially RYO/TPM than doses of cigarettes containing pure nicotine.

And you might want to check these out too...

Growing List of Positive Effects of Nicotine Seen in Neurode... : Neurology Today

Obviously the results of small studies often aren't replicated in larger studies, but at least nicotine certainly looks safe. And we've seen absolutely no withdrawal symptoms. There doesn't seem to be any abuse liability whatsoever in taking nicotine by patch in non-smokers. That's reassuring.”

Nicotine treatment for ulcerative colitis

No withdrawal symptoms suggesting nicotine addiction have been reported either after 4–6 weeks of therapy in short-term studies, or after a period of up to 6 months in the only long-term study available.

 

[patkin]

Thanks DC2. Retracting: "no scientific studies have been done." Substance addiction is a very interesting subject. I once knew a gal who was physically addicted to plain ole white sugar. It was nauseating meeting her at a restaurant and watching the half-cup of sugar she poured in her coffee... yeh, back in the day when you poured from a glass container. I knew it was coming whenever she asked the waitress to bring her half a cup of coffee. She carried sugar cubes with her everywhere because she began to tremble without her fix.

 

[Anjaffm]

Great links, DC2. Thank you!

 

[drsocal]

Good thread.