The Smoking Habit vs Nicotine Addiction

letter published in CMAJ 2012

Smoking v. nicotine

The distinction between smoking, which

is just a habit, and nicotine addiction often

becomes blurred in the article by Schultz

and colleagues1 and in the responses to

it.

That health professionals avoid this

trap of convenience is important. Viewing smoking as addictive, which most of

the population superficially does, plays

directly into the hands of smokers’

rights advocates and their claims that

smoking bans are discriminatory.

Remembering that smoking is a habit and

that nicotine is addictive reminds us that

there are many other forms in which

nicotine can be delivered — even if less

gratifying — without exposing others.

Smokers can choose where and how to

get their hit of nicotine — the rest of us

can’t choose where to breathe.

Stuart H. Kreisman MD

Endocrinologist, St. Paul’s Hospital,

Vancouver, BC

Reference

1. Schultz ASH, Finegan B, Nykiforuk CIJ, et al. A

qualitative investigation of smoke-free policies on

hospital property. CMAJ 2011;183:E1334-44.

CMAJ 2012. DOI:10.1503/cmaj.112-2010