Nicotine is a naturally occurring drug found in tobacco leaves. While trace amounts of nicotine are present in other plants like tomatoes and potatoes, tobacco contains a significantly higher concentration. Nicotine is both the addictive component in tobacco products and the primary cause of many health problems linked to their consumption. Nicotine can enter the body through various methods, including smoking, chewing, sniffing, and the use of e-cigarettes.
Cigarettes and related products can be classified as both tobacco and nicotine because they contain both tobacco leaves and nicotine. The tobacco leaves in these products undergo a series of drying, curing, and processing procedures to produce the final product. Nicotine, being naturally present in tobacco leaves, is inherent in all tobacco-based items, including cigarettes.
E-cigarettes/vapes are categorized under nicotine and not tobacco because they lack tobacco leaves. E-cigarettes/vapes function by heating a liquid that contains nicotine and various flavorings. Users inhale the resulting vapor, which delivers nicotine to the body without the use of tobacco leaves.
E-Cigarettes/Vapes are henceforth considered less harmful than traditional tobacco products such as Cigarettes, Cigars, Cigarillos, RYO, etc.
Imagine tobacco as a cake, with nicotine as its icing.
The cake represents the tobacco plant, composed of various substances, including nicotine. However, the amount of nicotine in the plant is relatively low.
The icing signifies nicotine, the addictive and harmful element that makes the cake – the tobacco plant – addictive.
In summary, the fundamental difference between tobacco and nicotine lies in their nature. Tobacco is a plant, whereas nicotine is a naturally occurring drug found in tobacco leaves. E-Cigarettes/Vapes are henceforth considered less harmful than traditional tobacco products such as Cigarettes, Cigars, Cigarillos, RYO, etc. This information can be verified on either the FDA.gov or CDC.gov websites.
