A Comparison and Contrast of Nicotine and Cocaine Addiction
Question
Hello, I want a Comparison and Contrast of Nicotine and Cocaine Addiction for research paper for medical school. I have an outline with ideas and some sources ( At least 1 book and 1 journal used and better if there is more) (the minium for RP is 5) I turned the outline in and i need a paper for it now ( You can add sources and write the way you want as long the same idea is followed and not exact to outline). I want an abstract in the first page and the next 4 pages is the compare and contrast essay with in text citation using each source atleast 1 for each source used. The citation required is ( APA 6 ). Thanks so much and i hope you have a great day . P.S i need the paper ASAP lol :)) I will upload some attachments for you to see and my book as a reference to use when writing. If you need anything please message me , i am pulling an over nighter :)


Solution
Abstract
This paper gives contrast and
comparison of nicotine and cocaine addiction treatment. In both cases, therapy
plays a central role in recovery, but medical treatment to aid withdrawal
symptoms comes with using prescription medication. Therapeutic communities are
more effective at treating nicotine addiction than supporting medical treatment
alone without therapeutic communities, making it a contrast. Cocaine addicts
experience physical withdrawal symptoms after quitting, which is not true of
nicotine where it does not cause these kinds of immediate physical discomfort. Finally,
therapeutic communities are more effective at treating nicotine addiction than
supporting medical treatment alone without therapeutic communities, making it a
contrast.
A
Comparison and Contrast of Nicotine and Cocaine Addiction
Many people continue the habit of
smoking because nicotine addiction has such a powerful presence in our society,
with an estimated one out of two Americans dying from cigarette-related
diseases (Felman, 2018). Nicotine addiction is defined as compulsive drug
seeking and use despite harmful consequences (Mello, 2010). According to the
American Psychological Association, nicotine users can become addicted to just
one cigarette. Other common signs of nicotine addiction include withdrawal
symptoms such as irritability and trouble concentrating when not smoking; using
more than planned and often having an intense desire to use nicotine; and using
tobacco in situations where it is physically dangerous, such as while driving
or operating machinery (APA). The American Psychiatric Association defines drug
addiction as “a state of periodic or chronic impairment that results from
repeated consumption of a drug (or drugs) and tends to increase in severity”
(Mello, 2010). The characteristics of drug addiction include compulsive drug
seeking and continued use despite harmful consequences. “Individuals who are
addicted continue to use a substance despite knowledge of having a persistent
or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been
caused or exacerbated by the substance” (Mello, 2010). In the United States,
there is a rapidly changing landscape of nicotine and cocaine abuse. In 2014,
more men than women abused cocaine. An estimated 1.5 million people aged 12 or
older were current users of cocaine in 2015 (United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime). Cocaine is obtained from a plant called the Erythroxylon coca, which
grows in certain areas of South America. And while nearly one-fifth of teens
who used tobacco products reported using two or more in the past 30 days
(NSDUH), it’s reported that “the majority of smokers (80%) begin smoking by age
18 and 99% start by age 26” (Felman, 2018). This makes nicotine addiction and
its effects a growing concern, especially due to the higher rates among those
under 18. A person addicted to either drug cannot control their use and develop
a compulsive dependence that results in harmful consequences. Nicotine and
cocaine addiction can be further defined by comparing and contrasting their
causes and treatment.
Causes
The main similarities between
nicotine and cocaine addictions are that they involve a heightened
concentration in the brain’s reward centers, producing an intense sense of
pleasure. Both drugs also cause a powerful craving for more when a person tries
to quit due to physical dependence, which is because of these changes in the
brain (Gabbey. 2018, May 16). Most users are a result of peer pressure or just
seeking pleasure, although the availability of drugs is also a reason for both
addictions, which are readily available in society (Noschang et al., 2021).
A major difference between nicotine
addiction and cocaine addiction is that one is socially acceptable while the
other is stigmatized. It has been proven that more people are addicted to
nicotine than those who use cocaine. Nicotine doesn’t impair judgment like
cocaine; therefore, is not as addictive and harmful (Felman, 2018, January 11).
Another difference between the two addictions is that, in cocaine addiction, a
person will experience euphoria and impaired judgment while the same doesn’t
happen with nicotine addiction. Also, nicotine is legal, while cocaine is
illegal (Gabbey. 2018, May 16). While cocaine is injected into the bloodstream,
nicotine is a substance that is absorbed into the bloodstream through smoking.
Effects
Both nicotine and cocaine are drugs with
serious consequences, which begin to show after extended indulgence. Nicotine
is more dangerous because it is harder to kick the addiction than cocaine, but
both do pose major health risks if abused (Antonelli et al., 2021). Nicotine
can lead to cancer of many organs like lungs, kidneys, etc (Felman, 2018,
January 11). Cocaine also poses a risk of contracting cancer due to the toxins
in the drug, but there are also other immediate risks like the collapse of
veins, infections from contaminated needles used for injection, etc. Nicotine
addiction has been linked to more serious drugs, given that it is harder to
quit. Cocaine addicts on first use generally exhibit physical symptoms of
withdrawal after quitting.”
Comparing the two drugs, we can see
that although cocaine has more severe immediate effects, such as collapsed
veins and infections from contaminated needles used for injection, the
long-term effects of both drugs are likely to be equally harmful (Mello, 2010).
Both nicotine and cocaine have been linked to cancer in various organs,
including lungs and kidneys. One major difference between the two is that nicotine
addiction is harder to kick than cocaine. Cocaine addicts on first use
generally exhibit physical symptoms of withdrawal after quitting, while
nicotine, although it can lead to certain cancers, does not cause physical withdrawal
symptoms when the addict tries to quit (Antonelli et al., 2021). Nicotine
addiction has been linked to more serious drugs, given that it is harder to
quit. However, both drugs pose major health risks if abused.
Treatment
Both nicotine and cocaine addicts are
treated with therapy in terms of treatment. However, it is more common to use
prescription medication like Zyban (Wellbutrin) for nicotine addiction.
Modafinil (Provigil) has been shown to aid cocaine addicts; another difference
in treatment is that therapeutic communities are known as “therapeutic
communities,” are the most effective treatment for nicotine addiction (Struik,
De Vries, & Peters, 2019). Cocaine addicts are more likely to receive
medical treatment without the support of a therapeutic community (National
Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020, January). One major difference between
treatments for nicotine and cocaine is that nicotine addiction is harder to
kick than cocaine. Cocaine addicts on first use generally exhibit physical
symptoms of withdrawal after quitting, while nicotine, although it can lead to
certain cancers, does not cause physical withdrawal symptoms when the addict
tries to quit (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020, January).
Another difference is that nicotine,
although it can lead to certain cancers, does not cause physical withdrawal
symptoms when the addict tries to quit (Felman, 2018, January 11). On first use
of cocaine, addicts generally exhibit physical withdrawal symptoms after
quitting, while nicotine, although it can lead to certain cancers, does not
cause physical withdrawal symptoms when the addict tries to quit (Struik, De
Vries, & Peters, 2019). Finally, cocaine addicts are more likely to receive
medical treatment without the support of a therapeutic community, while
nicotine, although it can lead to certain cancers, does not cause physical
withdrawal symptoms when the addict tries to quit.
Conclusion
Both nicotine and cocaine are drugs with
serious consequences, which begin to show after extended indulgence. Nicotine
is more dangerous because it is harder to kick the addiction than cocaine, but
both do pose major health risks if abused. Nicotine can lead to cancer of many
organs like lungs, kidneys etc., while cocaine poses a risk of contracting
cancer due to the toxins in the drug, but it also poses immediate risks like
collapsed veins and infections from contaminated needles used for injection.
Treatment involves therapy and medical treatment with prescription medication
to aid recovery; however, therapeutic communities are more effective than
medical treatment alone. Finally, withdrawal symptoms are different in both
cases because while cocaine addicts generally experience physical symptoms
after quitting, nicotine doesn’t cause physical symptoms when the addict tries
to quit.
References
Antonelli,
M., Fattore, L., Sestito, L., Di Giuda, D., Diana, M., & Addolorato, G.
(2021). Transcranial magnetic stimulation: a review about its efficacy in the
treatment of alcohol, tobacco and cocaine addiction. Addictive
behaviors, 114, 106760.
Felman,
A. (2018, January 11). Everything you
need to know about nicotine. Medical News Today. Retrieved October 21,
2021, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240820
Gabbey.
A. E. (2018, May 16). Nicotine Addiction:
Effects, Symptoms, and Risk factors. Healthline. Retrieved October 21,
2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/nicotine-and-related-disorders
Mello,
N.K. (2010) Hormones, Nicotine, and cocaine: Clinical Studies. Hormones and Behavior, Volume 58,
Issue1, Retrieved November 27, 2021,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.10.003, from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0018506X09002232
National
Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, January). Is
Nicotine Addictive? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved October 21,
2021, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/nicotine-addictive
Neto,
A., Figueiroa, M., Almeida, R., Albuquerque, R., Moura, I., & Napp, S.
(2020, January 22). Cocaine and its
Variations in Forms of Presentation and Addiction, Retrieved November 27,
2021, DOI: DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.81529, from:
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/64021
NIDA.
(2021, October 5). What is the scope of
cocaine use in the United States? Retrieved October 21, 2021, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine/what-scope-cocaine-use-in-united-states
Noschang,
C., Lampert, C., Krolow, R., & de Almeida, R. M. M. (2021). Social
isolation at adolescence: a systematic review on behaviour related to cocaine,
amphetamine and nicotine use in rats and mice. Psychopharmacology,
1-21.
Struik,
R. F., De Vries, T. J., & Peters, J. (2019). Detrimental effects of a
retrieval-extinction procedure on nicotine seeking, but not cocaine
seeking. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 13, 243.




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