Nicotine

People use nicotine for many different reasons.  Here are a few:

• Nicotine is stimulating
• Nicotine is perceived as harmless
• Nicotine reduces your appetite
• Nicotine is a way to relax or take a break
• Nicotine is a way to talk to new people and connect with others
• Nicotine use has become connected to a routine (e.g., after eating breakfast, when leaving class, while studying, at parties when hanging out with friends)
• Nicotine is used to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms
• Nicotine is perceived as a socially acceptable and/or as a condition to belong to one’s peer group

Nicotine use is influenced by many factors including:

• family history of use
• culture
• age of onset (i.e., starting in teenage years leads to higher rates of addiction later in life)
• social norms
• emotions / mood state
• social media
• targeted marketing strategies to vulnerable populations

New Hampshire Clean Indoor Air Ordinances

• Smoking is prohibited in all public schools, childcare facilities, restaurants and bars (allowed in cigar shops and allows for an economic hardship waiver).
• Smoking restrictions are required in government workplaces, private workplaces, casinos/gaming establishments, retail stores and recreational/cultural facilities.
• E-cigarettes (juuls, vapes) are included in the state’s definition of smoking.
• For more information check out BreatheNH

Tobacco21 Federal Law

• The minimum age of sale for tobacco products is 21.
• The law penalizes retailers for selling tobacco products to youth, not those attempting to purchase, although many states and cities retain purchase, use, and possession (PUP) laws.
• The law does not require that states pass laws to raise their sales age to 21, but it does require states to demonstrate that their retailers are complying with the law. If not, the state eventually risks losing some portion of their federal substance abuse grant funding.