Could Nicotine Provide an Alternative to ADHD Medications?

This is not and should not be taken as medical advice. It’s simply an exploration of some of the research around ADHD and nicotine. Always consult your doctor before making any decisions about your health. Read our interview with Richard Pruen on the Links Between ADHD and Nicotine for more personal insights.

ADHD diagnoses have risen significantly over the last few decades. Some research suggests that detection of the disorder in UK boys’ aged 10-16 years has shot up from 1.4% in 2000 to 3.5% in 2018, with ADHD medication prescriptions rising from 0.6% to 2.4% in the same cohort. More recent 2022 data from the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) suggest diagnosis could be nearer 5%.

While there is some uncertainty about the actual numbers, the public conversation about the disorder has rarely been louder, as evidenced by Google searches recorded since 2004.

Indeed, ADHD has become so prevalent that some commentators suggest the disorder is being “overdiagnosed” due to social media platforms. The ADHD hashtag is hugely popular on TikTok, amassing tens of billions of views, making it one of the platform’s most talked about mental health conditions. This, doctors say, has led to a surge of patients asking about ADHD.

According to ADHD UK, getting a referral is no walk in the park. The waiting list for children can be anywhere between 5 weeks and five years. For adults, the process takes between 12 weeks and a scarcely believable 8.5 years.

Alternatively, you can go private if you have a spare £1200 lying around.

So, what are the alternatives?

Could nicotine offer an alternative solution?

Once patients eventually navigate the process for both diagnosis and a prescription for their meds, you might think the problems would stop there. They don’t. Many of the treatments for ADHD come with severe side effects, such as:

• Trouble sleeping.
• Appetite suppression.
• Mood changes.
• Headaches.
• Increased blood pressure or heart rate.
• Jitteriness.

In light of this situation, there is a growing sense that nicotine could be an effective treatment for ADHD. Research on the subject dates back to the mid-90s, with many of these papers calling for further research on the matter due to promising results.

Nicotine use among people with ADHD is well-established. One study from 2014 suggests that people with the condition are anywhere between 40% and 80% more likely to use cigarettes. However, while researchers categorise this as comorbidity, it seems that self-medicating is driving this phenomenon.

Understandably, any potential benefits of smoking to treat ADHD must be offset against the product’s lethality. However, nicotine pouches, patches, and vapes could provide a credible and low-risk alternative.

You can access much of this work on the excellent and comprehensive Safer Nicotine Wiki, but here is a quick summary of research that may shed a light on why people with ADHD have relatively high rates of nicotine use.

Symptom reduction

A study from 2009 demonstrated that nicotine patches reduced ADHD symptoms by 8% and negative moods by 9% in patients with ADHD who both did and did not smoke.

Cognitive functions

A 2018 study suggests nicotine boosts “attention, working memory, fine motor skills, and episodic memory”, each of which are common ADHD symptoms.

Enhanced attention

A study from 2008 showed that “non-smoking young adults with ADHD-C showed improvements in cognitive performance following nicotine administration in several domains that are central to ADHD.”

Final thoughts

ADHD diagnoses are on the rise. However, unreasonably long NHS waiting lists and dissatisfaction with prescription medications mean that people living with ADHD are on the lookout for alternative treatments.

Nicotine shows great promise in many cases, proving once again that there is a lot more to the drug than many people believe.

But remember, if you have or suspect you have ADHD, you should speak to a health professional. More work must be done to explore the links between nicotine and ADHD, but there is clearly something there which we will explore in upcoming articles.