Proposed petition aims to have nicotine re-classified as controlled substance

Names are being gathered on an on-line petition calling for the Obama administration to inform the public that nicotine is a dangerous drug with no medical value, and to re-classify it as a controlled substance.

The petition, created on November 11 and aiming for 25,000 signatures, had 13 signatures by November 16.

The reasons given for creating the petition were:

1. ‘Nicotine is a powerfully addicting drug with no medical or mental health benefit.

2. ‘It is sold only to enrich those who sell it.

3. ‘Nicotine causes irreversible brain damage in the majority of users.

4. ‘Limited exposure to nicotine is highly likely to cause a mental craving for nicotine that does not go away in the victim’s lifetime.

5. ‘The CDC advises that the vast majority of nicotine addicts want to stop using nicotine, and cannot.

6. ‘There is no cure for nicotine addiction, and no treatment with a reasonable combination of safety and effectiveness.

7. ‘Nicotine addiction takes place within the first few days of nicotine use. Once addicted, addicts are chained to an unnecessary major expense, and are at elevated risk for early death. This is because long-term use of nicotine damages human cells.’