Nicotine content in tobacco used in hubble-bubble smoking

ABSTRACT

To determine the nicotine content of commonly used tobacco in hubble-bubble [HB] and compare it with that found in cigarettes. Analysis of nicotine content of 13 commercial brands of HB tobacco was carried out using gas chromatography over an 8 month period; November 2002 through to June 2003 at the Toxicology Laboratory, University of Jordan. A wide variation in nicotine content in all brands was noticed with an average of 8.32 mg/g tobacco, range [1.8-41.3 mg/g]. The average nicotine content in each HB head [20 gm] of unflavored tobacco was [713mg/head] and flavored tobacco has [67mg/head]. One head of unflavored tobacco has nicotine equivalent to 70 regular cigarettes. The addition of adulterations; honey, glycerin and other flavors in the process of preparing the flavored [Muasel] tobacco contributes to lowering the nicotine content in each gram of flavored tobacco. Smoking one head of flavored [Mua'sel] tobacco which contains on average one third of nicotine presented in 20 cigarettes [204mg/pack] usually resulted in a higher plasma nicotine level by 20%. Hubble-bubble smokers are not at a lesser risk from smoking than cigarette smokers in relation to nicotine dependence. The inability of water to trap significant amounts of chemical substances present in tobacco [especially nicotine] and the danger which might result from the combustion of additives like; glycerin, honey and other flavors could be a very important factor to extrapolate the damage resulting from HB smoking