Back Take the Nicotine Quiz Nicotine, one of the main chemicals in tobacco, is the primary reason that smoking is so addictive, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Even though most smokers know that smoking is bad for them, they find it difficult to quit because of nicotine's effect. 1. Nicotine causes which of these changes in the body? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Nicotine temporarily increases the heart rate by two to three beats a minute and increases blood pressure in the short term because it constricts blood vessels, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says. A. Lowers body temperatureB. Increases heart rateC. Increases blood pressureD. B and C 2. What happens when nicotine comes into contact with the brain? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is This neurotransmitter produces a "natural high" within 7 to 10 seconds of inhaling. Nicotine is a central nervous system stimulant and also decreases the sensation of pain, according to the NIDA. A. Tissues swellB. Dopamine is releasedC. Nerve centers shut downD. Adrenaline decreases 3. How does dependence on nicotine develop? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Nicotine changes nerve signals that control physical actions, behavioral control and memory, the NIDA says. That's why a certain remembered scene or a smell can trigger a craving for cigarettes. A. Nicotine alters the pattern of nerve signals in the brainB. Peer pressure makes it hard to quitC. Mental habit is too hard to breakD. Physical craving is too strong 4. What's the most common reason for not quitting? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Stress is also one of the main reasons given for relapsing when trying to quit, the ACS says. Although we all have stress in our lives, smokers use nicotine to help them cope with stress. When trying to quit, a smoker needs to find alternative ways of coping with stress. A. Smoking relieves stressB. Craving is too strongC. Worried about weight gainD. Enjoy it too much 5. Cigarette smoke contains traces of which of these harmful chemicals? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals, many of them toxic, the ACS says. A. Radioactive lead and poloniumB. ArsenicC. FormaldehydeD. All of the above 6. Cigarette filters remove which of these when a smoker inhales? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Filters don't remove carbon monoxide or other gases. A. Carbon monoxideB. Some tarC. Some nicotineD. B and C 7. Research on how nicotine alters brain chemistry may help scientists develop new drugs. What type are they? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Nicotine is too toxic to develop as a painkiller, but the way the drug inhibits pain receptors could be mimicked in a new synthetic analgesic. A. AntidepressantsB. PainkillersC. TranquilizersD. Vitamins 8. Which of these is the most significant health risk for smokers? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Smoking also causes cancer and high blood pressure, but the most prevalent risk is a heart attack. If you smoke, you are two to three times more likely to die from coronary artery disease than people who don't smoke, the American Heart Association says. A. CancerB. High blood pressureC. Heart attacksD. Arthritis Your score was: