NIH Radio
Study of nicotine as a gateway drug – 3
Narrator: This is NIH Health Matters. I’m Joe Balintfy. NIH-funded research in mice is adding to evidence that nicotine is a gateway drug. Dr. Nora Volkow an institute director at the NIH says this new research is remarkable.
Volkow: It's identifying basic changes that bring to light the question of whether something like this will be happening in adolescents that get exposed to nicotine, that when they are taking nicotine and then they take cocaine they're going to be much more likely to become addicted to cocaine.
Narrator: This research has identified a biological mechanism and shows that nicotine basically primes the brain to enhance cocaine’s effects. For more information on this research, visit www.drugabuse.gov. Health Matters is produced by the NIH, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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