Method for making a nicotine toothpick

Abstract

A method for making a nicotine-containing toothpick, includes creating a solution having a predetermined concentration of nicotine. A toothpick is exposed to the solution, and the amount of solution added to the toothpick is determined. The solution may be a liquid solution, or a saliva soluble powder solution. The concentration of the solution can be adjusted, or multiple solutions of varying concentrations of nicotine made, to create toothpicks of varying nicotine levels. Sweeteners, medicaments, breath fresheners, or dentifrices can be added to the toothpick.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 647,145, filed on Jan. 25, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to means for aiding in the breaking of the cigarette smoking habit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for creating a toothpick for the oral delivery of nicotine. [0003] It is well-known that cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, have many adverse health consequences, including cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and strokes. In fact, it is estimated that cigarettes alone kill more than 400,000 Americans each year—more than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, suicides, murders, illegal drugs, and fires combined. Smoking can harm not just the smoker, but also family members and others who breath “second hand smoke”. [0004] What is it about tobacco that makes people so compelled to use it despite all of the health risks and admonitions? Smo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] The present invention resides in a method for making a nicotine-containing toothpick. The nicotine toothpick of the present invention is what is known as a Nicotine Replacement Treatment (NRT), which is intended to help people who are addicted to cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to quit. The use of a toothpick is socially acceptable, and satisfies the user's fingers to lips fixation, which is the physiological addiction of smoking cigarettes.

Problems solved by technology

It is well-known that cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, have many adverse health consequences, including cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and strokes.

Smoking can harm not just the smoker, but also family members and others who breath “second hand smoke”.

Nicotine is an addictive drug that makes quitting difficult.

Symptoms can include irritability, frustration, anger, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, and craving for tobacco.

Like cigarettes, the products deliver nicotine into the blood, but they do not contain the tar and carbon monoxide that are largely responsible for cigarette's dangerous health consequences.

However, these forms have drawbacks.

However, the chewing gum is, in many circles, considered to be socially unacceptable and could, in addition, interfere with the speech of the user.

In addition, use of the gum does nothing to satisfy the user's need to touch and manipulate a cigarette-like object with his lips and hands.

Nasal sprays are unpleasant to use, and also fail to satisfy the user's needs to touch and manipulate a cigarette-like objects with the user's lips and hands.

While a 24-hour patch can be attached to the user's upper arm, or other portion of the body, it is unsightly, especially in the summer, when the user tends to wear short sleeved shirts, blouses or dresses.

In fact, sales of such patches drop significantly in the summer.

Such patches also fail to satisfy the user's need touch and manipulate a cigarette-like object.

While an inhaler does satisfy a user's need to touch and manipulate a cigarette-type object with his lips and hands, the inhaler is relatively large and unsightly.

The use of an inhaler has a social stigma attached thereto, and its usage is very limited in the United States.

However, a drawback of such nicotine-containing toothpicks is the lack of control of the amount of nicotine delivered thereby.

Many people do not realize that nicotine alone is an extremely toxic poison, sold commercially in the form of a pesticide.

Sixty milligrams (60 mg) of nicotine (about the amount in three or four cigarettes if all of the nicotine were absorbed) will kill an adult, and consuming only one cigarette's worth of nicotine is enough to make a toddler severely ill.

Nicotine poisoning causes vomiting and nausea, headaches, difficulty breathing, stomach pains and seizures.