You can easily compare nicotine to caffeine, and why not? Both originate from plants and can cause a feeling of energy and excitement when consumed. Apart from those similarities, tobacco and vape companies like comparing the two drugs.
For years now through advertisements, the tobacco industry has tirelessly worked to show how unvarying the harmful habit of using coffee and tea is when compared to nicotine. The reasons why they are doing this is to present nicotine to the general public as harmless compared to drugs like cocaine and heroin, which have a very bad reputation.
Nicotine and caffeine are chemically almost the same. It is this connection that gives rise to the debate on the acceptance of e-cigarettes. People all over the world are largely consuming coffee while there is a stigmatization of nicotine. So why do tobacco and vape companies compare nicotine to caffeine?
The use of caffeine is socially accepted, so comparisons might allow the social acceptance of nicotine
Drug use has had various devastating effects on users. Tobacco and vape companies have always tried to make sure that nicotine is not grouped into the same category as heroin and cocaine. Throughout the ’80s, the companies started a campaign alerting the general public that nicotine is not the same as the two aforementioned drugs.
The use of traditional cigarettes has been associated with various health complications. On the other hand, vaping has been described as a safer method of nicotine intake. The argument is that e-cigs do not produce the harmful substances that are produced from the combustion of tobacco.
As noted earlier, the chemical composition of nicotine and caffeine is similar, and they have similar effects when consumed. Now that nicotine can be consumed in the form of e-liquids, vaping companies cannot stop comparing nicotine to caffeine.
Both caffeine and nicotine might have therapeutic benefits to the body
Nicotine has been labeled as dangerous to the body when consumed while many people freely consume coffee daily. Though nicotine can have seriously damaging effects on the body, especially when taken in using traditional cigarettes, the tobacco and vape companies have tried to focus on the positive side of nicotine.
Studies indicate that both nicotine and caffeine might possess some therapeutic benefits. The consumption of both substances can help slow down Alzheimer’s disease development. At the same time, pure nicotine has been found to reduce both anxiety and blood pressure.
Marketing purposes
Caffeine and nicotine share some similarities but also differ. For instance, the addiction levels between the two substances differ with nicotine being the more highly addictive of the two. After some time, nicotine users usually lose control over the use of the substance. At the same time, consuming caffeine acts as a relaxant, but nicotine can have multiple effects on the user.
Now that you know that the two substances are also very different, why are they often compared? The comparisons are aimed at pushing nicotine to be one of the essential substances in daily life just like coffee. This will ease the strong stance that the better part of the world’s population has against nicotine.
The debate is getting even stronger with the e-cigarette industry on the rise. Vaping companies usually separate nicotine from tobacco, making it seem less harmful. Now e-cigarette companies put caffeine and their e-liquids into the same category.