Is lithium implicated in tobacco addiction?

IntroductionTobacco is a source of mineral elements that can affect human health in various ways, such as lithium, which is used as a psychiatric medication. Lithium salts are used as mood-stabilizing drugs and indicated in the treatment of manic-depressive psychosis.ObjectiveStudying the lithium content in tobacco over the smokers’plasma content and evaluate the potential role of lithium in tobacco addiction.MethodsA total of 18 different tobacco products (cigarettes, smokeless and water pipe tobacco) and 125 plasma samples (45 from smokers, 10 from ex-smokers and 70 from non-smokers) were collected to determinate the lithium content. Tobacco samples were digested with nitric acid and lith…