Acute subjective and physiological responses to smoking in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the topography of cigarette smoking and the subjective and physiological effects of abstinence and nicotine in adolescents who smoke on a daily versus a non-daily basis.


METHODS
Repeated measures experiment, non-blinded, involving a single test session.


METHODS
Human psychopharmacology laboratory.


METHODS
Twenty-one daily and 21 non-daily adolescent cigarette smokers (21 females; 21 males; age 13-18 years) with life-time use greater than 10 cigarettes, responding to radio and print advertisements.


METHODS
Overnight abstinence from cigarettes followed by smoking of a single cigarette furnished by the participant at test.


METHODS
The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, saliva nicotine and cotinine, expired air carbon monoxide (CO), heart rate (HR), self-report scales and smoking topography. Most measurements were performed before and after smoking.


RESULTS
Saliva nicotine, CO and HR increased, and self-reported intention and desire to smoke decreased, after smoking (p < 0.001). Fagerstrom scores indicated greater dependence and desire to smoke in daily than in non-daily smokers. HR increased substantially over pre-smoking levels in both groups. Puff topography did not differ between the groups, although collectively these participants appeared to take smaller and more puffs than adult smokers tested under similar conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides initial evidence that adolescent cigarette smokers self-administer physiologically active doses of nicotine very early in their smoking careers. Nicotine dependence in adolescents appears to be a function of the current frequency of cigarette use, and subjective-behavioral consequences of abstinence and smoking are evident even in non-daily smokers.
Corrigall
W A
WA
Smoking and Nicotine Dependence Research and Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. bill_corrigall@camh.net
Zack
M
M
Eissenberg
T
T
Belsito
L
L
Scher
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology
D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide