Smoking without nicotine delivery decreases withdrawal in 12-hour abstinent smokers.
The contribution of sensory factors to smoking satisfaction and nicotine withdrawal symptoms was assessed by evaluating responses to three types of cigarettes: a regular cigarette, a de-nicotinized cigarette (de-nic), and a lettuce leaf cigarette. Doses were varied by requiring subjects to smoke cigarettes using a five-port cigarette manifold. The ratio of the regular or de-nic cigarettes to the lettuce cigarettes was varied across the following values: zero, one, two, and four of five. Seven male smokers were tobacco-deprived for 12 h before testing. On one test day they smoked the de-nic cigarettes, and on another day they smoked the regular cigarettes. Ratings of satisfaction and cigarette linking were directly related to the number of regular or de-nic cigarettes, but were generally higher after the regular cigarette. The regular and de-nic cigarettes were equivalent in reducing acute withdrawal symptoms. Expired CO was similar on both experimental days. The regular cigarette dose-dependently increased plasma nicotine, but the de-nic cigarette did not increase plasma nicotine. These results indicate that sensory characteristics of cigarettes contribute to the abuse liability of smoke-delivered nicotine. The results suggest that smoking cigarettes that do not provide nicotine may temporarily suppress cigarette withdrawal symptoms.
Butschky
M F
MF
Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224.
Bailey
D
D
Henningfield
J E
JE
Pickworth
W B
WB
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011674:Pulse / Q000187:drug effects; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*
D009538:Nicotine