NICOTINE doesn’t just get you hooked on tobacco—it gives you cancer,
too, according to new research that casts doubt on the wisdom of using nicotine
replacement therapy to quit smoking.
“Our research provides scientific evidence that nicotine products designed
for long-term use may not be safe,” says Stephen Hecht of the University of
Minnesota Cancer Center in Minneapolis. This could include nicotine gum or
patches, he says. Nicotine has also been suggested as a potential treatment for
Parkinson’s disease.
The team has identified a breakdown product of nicotine that they believe
causes lung tumours. This is the first time…
