Smokers generally feel more comfortable after that especially important first cigarette of the day. Within just a few seconds of 'lighting up,' smoking activates mind-altering changes. Smokers are well aware of the long-term risks of their habit: such as lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and other deadly illnesses. However, smokers are attracted by the immediate effects of smoking: 'a stimulant that makes them seem to feel more alert, clearheaded and able to focus on work.' Smoking however, does not really have these effects; what the smoker perceives is an illusion. Nicotine begins to act on brain cells within ten seconds of inhalation, fitting into 'keyholes' on the surface of ...view middle of the document...
Nonsmokers responded fastest, and active smokers were faster than those who were deprived from smoking. In the third test, subjects were required to memorize a sequence of letters or numbers, and to respond when they observed the sequence among flashed groupings on the screen. The purpose of this experiment was to test short-term memory: nonsmokers again ranked highest, however, deprived smokers defeated the active smokers. Subjects were required to read a passage and then answer questions about it in the fourth test. 'Nonsmokers remembered 19 percent more of the most important information than active smokers, and deprived smokers bested their counterparts who had smoked a cigarette just before testing. Active smokers tended not only to have poorer memories but also had trouble differentiating important from trivial details.' In the final experiment, a computer-generated driving simulator(much like a video game) was used to test the subjects, who were required to operate a steering wheel, gearshift, gas pedal and bra...
