Our problem is on how nicotine affects your mental and physical health. We go more into detail and uncover the harmful truths of an addiction, specifically a nictoine addiction. How the chemicals in your brain react to the new drug added too and what diseases come with it as well. 

Case study method, we went through many articles and checked into our sources, making sure they are correct. We have real life examples of young people who have been seriously injured or even killed by nicotine. Our project is a study project so we really didn't have a specific method on how we researched. We started off with main questions and went in depth researching the effetcts of nicotine on mental and physical health. We made sure our sources were true and double, (or even triple) checked them. We made sure our citations held the right information. Qualitative reasarching was our main type of research, as we examined the behaviours, and real expierences individuals have gone through using nicotine. We also used not only the individuals mental effects but also used how it affected them physically and how their 5 senses were altered as a result. As we used articles and valuble pieces of records from past scientists and scholars who have researched nicotine. 

https://paperpal.com/blog/academic-writing-guides/what-is-research-methodology#:~:text=A%20research%20methodology%20describes%20the,using%20the%20selected%20research%20instruments.

Effects of Nicotine on mental health expert views

Starter

Addiction will always be a complex problem. It's a disease and should be treated as such. We’ll never find out how to stop it completely nor how or why it starts throughout. Fortunately, we can see its effects on a person's mental and physical health. The body will start to fall through, with organs failing to function fully. In a mental aspect, the person will start to develop disorders. Most treatments can help a person control the urges to a short or long-term degree, but relapsing is always a possibility. Mental and physical health are linked with addiction. Overlapping, people with physical health conditions are more likely also to experience mood disorders, and people with mental disorders are at a much higher risk of developing a medical condition. This risk is much more excessive for the homeless. Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease, meaning it has an emotional and bodily link that overlaps with one another. For this project, we’ll be focusing on nicotine addiction. Addiction predominantly affects our age range. If someone were to use nicotine excessively, what problems would they face? The first thing to understand is that vapes were first invented to help people quit smoking. The intention was that the user would slowly reduce the amount of nicotine till it finally reached zero. Over time people infrequently used traditional cigarettes and more e-cigarettes.

There is a current and an uprising effect of nicotine on people our age. Many teens deal with stress and they think that vaping helps with the stress. Peer pressure is another reason, many kids think that vaping is cool and that it won't harm them because the big brands have desensitized the effects of vaping. Have you noticed that on the packages of cigarettes, there are many obscene pictures on the effects of smoking but there are fun colours and cartoons on the packages of vape? Their advertisement is to attract young people. 

Question: If someone were to use nicotine excessively, what problems would they face physically and mentally?

Hypothesis: If a person uses nicotine more demandingly, the person's organs will start to fail, especially the lungs, esophagus, heart, and small and large intestines. Multiple organs and tissues would experience collapse. Higher risk of blood clots and the person's heart rate and blood pressure would be increased. Nausea and vomiting would start. On the mental side, cognitive fatigue would occur, and with that stress and energy levels would start to decrease more and more.

Mental

A healthy mindset would deteriorate fast. Yes, nicotine can be a short feeling of pleasure and tranquillity but after a while, the brain would rot. Even though scientifically, nicotine has not been directly connected to mental health. Existing research shows that nicotine can worsen pre-existing psychological problems (anxiety, depression, etc). Small amounts of metal found in vape liquids have a connection to depression. Most young adults think vaping lifts off stress but instead, it may worsen the conditions. Attempting to withdraw causes the effects of vaping to hit a person all at once. Environmental and genetic factors play a huge factor in addiction as well. During the developmental term, weaker genetics and environmental qualities would increase the risk for psychological illnesses. Deeper inside the brain you can find the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors which are mainly in charge of nicotine addictions. Other neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, serotonin, and endorphins, are also released. Acetylcholine releases and when it does, it impacts attention, pleasure, memory and motivation. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in your brain are a protein that looks over the movement of signals throughout the nervous system by opening one of many ionic channels. The most basic states include the closed, open, and desensitized states. This pore opening enables the flow of Na+, K+, and, sometimes, Ca2+ ions across the cell membrane. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors play crucial physiological roles and, when altered, they cause pathologies in humans.

Consequently, the nAChRs can produce local depolarisation, resulting in less negative charge inside the cell than outside. It is assumed that the brain adapts to the repeated nicotine-induced release of dopamine by producing less dopamine,” said study author Dr. Lena Rademacher of Lubeck University in Germany. The dopaminergic transmission is key to reward mechanisms that are associated with the conduit of the delivery of signals that instigate and maintain the pre-existing nicotine addiction. Now when we talk about the mental issues that follow with a nicotine addiction. An addiction is more frequent with individuals who have physiological issues, especially nicotine which is easy to get at markets. It also can be used as an antidepressant as it releases norepinephrine and serotonin into the brain. Stress and nicotine seem to have a close relationship as well. 

Physical

Mental health issues are a serious concern that affects an individual's overall well-being. When it comes to vaping, it's important to note that it can have negative effects on both mental and physical health. Despite the common perception that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking, it's crucial to understand that the nicotine present in vaping liquids is an incredibly addictive substance that can lead to a variety of complications. Nicotine addiction can cause a range of health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory issues, and even mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. “Nicotine poses several health hazards. There is an increased risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal disorders. There is a decreased immune response and it also poses ill impacts on reproductive health. It affects cell proliferation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, DNA mutation by various mechanisms which leads to cancer."(Mishra. A, Chaturvedi. P, Datta. S, Sinukumar. S, Joshi. P, Garg. A, 2021). Vaping has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among young adults and teenagers. However, there are several potential risks associated with vaping that users should be aware of. One of the most significant risks is popcorn lung or bronchiolitis obliterans, which is caused by inhaling diacetyl, a chemical commonly used to enhance the flavour of certain e-juices. Popcorn lung can cause inflammation and respiratory problems, which can be detrimental to one's health. Another significant risk associated with vaping is lipoid pneumonia, a condition that differs from traditional pneumonia. Lipoid pneumonia is caused by the buildup of fatty acids in the lung tissue, which can occur when users inhale an oily substance produced when vitamin E acetate, a common ingredient in e-cigarettes, is heated and vaporized. The oily substance can coat the alveoli in the lungs, which can lead to coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and even respiratory failure in severe cases. It is important to note that while the risk of developing lipoid pneumonia from vaping is relatively low, it is still a serious concern that users should be aware of. Additionally, healthcare providers should be vigilant when evaluating patients with respiratory symptoms, especially those who have a history of e-cigarette use, as vaping-induced lipoid pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose. In addition to the risks associated with vaping, the devices themselves can also pose dangers. The atomizer, which is the heat source in an e-cigarette, can cause burns around the mouth and even ignite clothing pockets. In some cases, the atomizer can even cause blindness if it comes into close contact with the eyes. Furthermore, the e-liquid used in e-cigarettes can still pose risks, even if the atomizer doesn't explode. Research has shown that some e-juices contain dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde, arsenic, lead, nickel, and even mercury, which can be harmful to one's health. Despite being marketed as a healthier alternative to smoking, researchers argue that vaping simply substitutes one harmful addiction for another. It is essential to be informed of the potential risks associated with vaping and to make informed decisions about one's health. Replacing one harmful habit with another is never recommended, and it is crucial to prioritize one's well-being when making decisions about substance use. There is still much to be learned about the effects of vaping on the respiratory system and overall health. 

 This artcile was about a girl who smoked a full nicotine cartilage a day and faced major repercussions due to it. After she was rushed to the hospital for it and was on bedrest, she realized the the big effects it had on her health. She started a no-vaping campagin. https://abcnews.go.com/US/teen-put-life-support-vaping-didnt-smoker/story?id=65522370

 Two men were hospitalized for extreme respitarory problems and placed on ventilators after using nicotine. https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/young-men-died-vaping-65233350

 A lady in Kansas passed away due to a vaping related illness, the 6th American to pass away from it in 2019. But with very recent times its been hundreds of other Americans. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/vaping/kansas-resident-dies-vaping-related-illness-6th-death-nationwide-n1051866

A study in the U.S shows that college students reporting mental illness had a 33% higher risk of smoking nicotine. Nicotine has been proven to harm younger minds (which are the main group to use nicotine) and make them more feasible for addiction. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/new-study-e-cigarette-use-linked-prior-mental-illness

A study done proves that quitting smoking can drastically improve a persons mental health. The study involved adults who smoked. A total of 4,260 participants were included, with 55.4% having a history of mental illness. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease.  https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2023-06-01-new-study-shows-quitting-smoking-can-improve-mental-health 

Depression and anxeity linked to nicotine and THC, a study of more than 2,500 people aged from 13-24 found that nicotine-only vapers, THC-only vapers and dual vapers (of nicotine and THC) were more likely to report anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts when compared with their peers who did not use electronic cigarettes or vape THC.https://newsroom.heart.org/news/depression-anxiety-symptoms-linked-to-vaping-nicotine-and-thc-in-teens-and-young-adults

Replacing one harmful habit with another is never recommended, and it is crucial to prioritize one's well-being when making decisions about substance use. There is still much to be learned about the effects of vaping on the respiratory system and overall health. The issue of addiction is a complex and layered problem, which is exacerbated by the fact that nicotine is widely available in commercial products. It is essential that we gain a deeper understanding of how nicotine affects the human brain and body so that we can educate others about the dangers of vaping. By sharing this knowledge, we hope to prevent needless deaths among young people who may be unaware of the risks associated with this harmful behaviour. Our ultimate goal is to reach as many individuals as possible and offer them the support they need to overcome this addiction and avoid a similar fate.

Nicotine: from molecular mechanisms to behaviour - ScienceDirect

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What Does Vaping Do to Your Lungs? | Johns Hopkins Medicine.

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Mishra. A, Chaturvedi. P, Datta. S, Sinukumar. S, Joshi. P, Garg. A. (2021, July 12). Harmful effects of nicotine.Indian J Med Paediatr. Harmful effects of nicotine

How do vapes work and what chemicals are inside them?

What's Hiding in Vape Juice? 31+ Chemicals. | #VapesDown

Autism and Addiction | High-Functioning Autism Smoking

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/health/teen-vaping-death.html

https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/33415874/study_case-libre.pdf?1396931842=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DStudy_case.pdf&Expires=1708990158&Signature=DSmjowc6qsis~9e-IaJEXZi6kPJ6CixvzCbvAcbpFM68BLg7csNKCaGrh-LrbWagAxKlxFCwDLBJ2Uv9LXdGBvq5WAJMVLWGH224s7u9~8-unFaCE-HIdPUPdHo3ueTuW4SkpAc4LHOneSu8LPdj9mFmHzvVDK1Eaz82xlz8Tddgw-9tNN82ymlrw~Osvj83PBKmvNFz40aMZ2H7cF8nADNa9hy-~Id4vso7NEmBwKNReABrYufaW~hnXvbRYHZfuwyGxFvh6PcytEsLZnpMD~wzDOV6fHeVHCNCMDI3zF~OlpKACnfApOJJN8GfKiiJuedulnb6xe~ChTDmamFKRw__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA

We would like to give our extreme thanks and appreciation to Mrs. Kale and Mrs. Lizzotte. We are overwhelmed with gratitude and in all humbleness, all we can say is thank you. For Mrs. Kale, thank you for putting your heart, hope and believing in us. We are most appreciative of her, as she never gave up on us, for her enlightenment and because she kept on pushing us to do our best every time. We also want to thank our school, Mountain View Academy for this opportunity, and we are very grateful to be two of the students chosen to represent our school. We thank our classmates too, for just keeping our spirits high and encouraging us every time. 

Our last thanks go to God, his guidance is why we even had a chance to participate in the school science fair. He is why we never gave up. We will continue to place our trust in Him no matter what. Our prayers and His future for us are why we made it and why we will continue to rise up and succeed.