Tomoko Iida, Director of Scientific Affairs for Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East at Philip Morris International (PMI), delivered an insightful presentation on the effects of nicotine on the human brain and its neuromodulatory properties at the Technovation 2026 international conference held in Rabat, Morocco.

As reported by FED.AZ, Ms. Iida explained that nicotine interacts with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain, influencing the release of various neurotransmitters. As a result of this interaction, the activity of substances such as dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, glutamate, serotonin, beta-endorphin, and GABA may be altered. In the short term, nicotine may contribute to improvements in mood, attention, cognitive function, and memory. It also plays a role in mechanisms related to motivation, learning, and stress reduction.

At the same time, the renowned expert emphasized that although nicotine has neuromodulatory properties, these effects should not be interpreted as meaning that it is safe for human health. According to scientific research, nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and its long-term use is associated with serious health risks. She noted that a deeper understanding of the biological mechanisms through which nicotine affects the brain is essential for advancing scientific discussions on tobacco and nicotine products.

T. Iida: The main danger comes from the chemicals found in tobacco smoke

During her presentation, Tomoko Iida also stressed that the primary health risks associated with cigarette smoking are caused not by nicotine itself, but by the thousands of toxic chemicals produced during the combustion of tobacco.

According to her, although nicotine is addictive, it is not considered the primary cause of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or cardiovascular diseases when acting on its own. The main health risk arises from the toxic substances present in tobacco smoke.

The presentation also referred to information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK National Health Service (NHS), noting that while nicotine is an addictive substance, the other chemical compounds found in cigarette smoke are the principal cause of tobacco-related diseases.