Nicotine Myth – Does Nicotine Really Cause Lung Cancer?

November 14, 2009

Does nicotine, the infamous substance in cigarettes, actually cause lung cancer? It is known that cigarettes are harmful, but what is the relationship between nicotine and lung cancer?

When you think of smoking, you think of lung cancer. In fact, cigarette smoking is the leading cause of cancer above all others. Lung cancer alone kills more people every year than all other types of cancer combined. Cigarettes undeniably play a big part in it. But what makes cigarettes so deadly? Could it be the nicotine?

Nicotine is an active ingredient in tobacco products, and it has psychoactive properties on the user. In low doses, it relaxes the person. In higher doses, it activates the nervous system, speeds up the heart rate, and energizes the person. Because nicotine alters the chemistry in your brain, it is considered as an addictive drug.

However, nicotine’s addictiveness has very little to do with what’s causing lung cancer. There have been no scientific studies that demonstrate nicotine causes cancer of any kind. In fact, some studies have shown that nicotine by itself is not all that addictive. People who use nicotine gum and patches often find that nicotine dependency is far easier to get rid of compared to the actual cigarette addiction.

If nicotine does not cause lung cancer, what does? It is actually the tobacco smoke. The smoke in cigarettes contains chemicals such as carbon monoxide, tar, and free radicals. These dangerous chemicals damage your lung tissues, which make them more susceptible to all kinds of infection. Worse yet, the damaged cells are more likely to turn cancerous and become life-threatening tumors.

So does nicotine cause lung cancer? No. The fact that nicotine gum and patches exist as OTC supplements is solid evidence. If nicotine was carcinogenic, the FDA would simply pull it off the shelves. After all, why would you quit smoking with the substance that causes problems in the first place? Contrary to the popular belief, it is actually the rest of the chemicals in smoke that cause cancer. Interestingly, the big and rich tobacco companies still manage to allow consumers play Russian roulette with their lives, one pack at a time.

Smoking is bad for you. That’s why I switched to the Electronic Cigarette after smoking for 22 years. This Revolutionary Device has no carcinogens, and you control how much nicotine you take in. There is no reason to throw your life away for cigarettes. Article source.

categories: lung cancer,nicotine,cause lung cancer,cigarette smoke

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