Nicotine Gum Health Risks

I admire addicts. In a world where everybody is waiting for some bline, random disaster, or some sudden disease, the addict has the comfort of knowing what will most likely wait for him down the road. He's taken some control over his ultimate fate, and his addiction keeps the cause of death from being a total surprise. ~ Charles Michael "Chuck" Palahniuk

Well, as far as the 'taken control over his ultimate fate' part of the above quote is concerned, I'm sure Mr. Palahniuk is being sarcastic here. Anyone in his sane mind would understand that addiction, especially to narcotics and chemical stimulants, is a sign of the addict having lost control of his life. Such a person has a twisted sense of priorities who would pawn even the last of his material belongings to get access to the particular object of his addiction. While most people who are victims of various addictions realize the consequences of such addiction but find themselves helpless once they get in too deep, a lot of people, especially the "freshmen" or "initiates", find it cool for their image to start doing drugs or begin smoking. This is usually the opinion of an addict when he starts out at a very early age. However, by the time better sense prevails, it's too late to just walk away from a habit that has been overshadowing all aspects of a person's life since years.

It is at this juncture that the thought of getting help for quitting the habit registers with those who are lucky enough to realize the hazards of their addiction, albeit somewhat late. While quitting after years of addiction is a tough call, there are more than one options for assistance for those who wish to quit their negative habits such as group support programs, rehabilitation, medications, weaning aids, etc. Nicotine-containing gum is one such quitting aid which many a prospective tobacco quitter leans on to gradually wean himself away from smoking and cigarettes. However, nicotine being common to both the object of addiction and the weaning aid, how far does the proverb one poison is cured by another' apply in this case? Research and clinical studies have shown that the health risks that arise from chewing these gums as a substitute for smoking cigarettes often overwhelm the ill effects of smoking itself! These gums may assist the efforts to quit smoking but there are various undesirable side effects that pose a big question on whether or not these are a safe option for those who wish to quit smoking.

Nicotine Gum Dangers

Following are some of the most disturbing health risks which must be considered before you jump for gums that contain nicotine to help you quit smoking. Check these out and give your decision a second thought before you blindly pop these gums in.

Cancer: The substance that is responsible for causing cancer in smokers is there in nicotine gums as well. That substance is nicotine. While it's definitely better to chew a couple to four of these gums a day instead of the harmful-chemicals-loaded cigarettes, long-term reliance on these gums are also known to cause cancer of the mouth and throat.

Addiction: Resorting to nicotine gums for quitting cigarettes is like soliciting the aid of a lesser evil to defeat the greater evil. Lesser or greater, both are evils in their own rights. Nicotine, the mood altering stimulant, that gets you addicted to cigarettes gets you addicted to these gums as well. While you may think you're getting rid of your smoking habit, you may actually be developing an addiction without even realizing it!

Hampers Chemotherapy: Studies have shown that nicotine has an inhibiting effect on chemotherapy of lung cancer. It means that if you're dependent upon nicotine gums and undergoing treatment for lung cancer at the same time, the harsh chemotherapy is disabled from imparting any benefits but is leaving behind its adverse side effects. This way, these gums actually play the role of a double edged sword.

Throat Irritation and Oral Health: A not-so-dangerous but extremely unpleasant side effect of chewing nicotine-laced gums is constriction of throat muscles, leading to frequent hiccups. Chewing too many of these gums too frequently or swallowing a large quantity of nicotine dissolved saliva at one go can lead to throat irritations and deteriorated oral health, including bad breath, gum disease, etc.

Congenital Defects: The chances of birth defects in infants are high in pregnant women who chew nicotine chewing gums. The risk of birth defects is higher by as much as 60% if this habit is present in women who are in the early stages of pregnancy.

Besides the risks discussed above, there are certain other health concerns surrounding these cigarette substitutes that bring the spotlight of controversy over these products. One such concern is the occurrence of insulin resistance and increased blood insulin levels on long term usage. Another concern which has nothing to do with time quantity or frequency of consumption is the occurrence of adverse drug interactions. Being a stimulant, nicotine often interferes with the actions of other drugs and medications which inhibit the curative effects of the latter and leads to undesirable reactions and side effects. Therefore, even as you take a step forward towards quitting an addiction, be careful those steps do not stray towards another. A better alternative for weaning yourself from cigarettes is electronic cigarettes - they don't have any nicotine in them and they are as effective in helping you quit smoking as nicotine gums, sans the possible dangers!