Do nicatette's cause cancer?

[Dr. Beat]

I know that chewing tobacco causes throat and tounge cancer over time, so does sucking Nicarettes (nicatine lollies) cause cancer too ? or is it the other chemicals in the tobacco plant matter?

 

[Morrison's Lament]

Of course there are other chemicals than nicotine in there! Plant matter is made up of an astonishing variety of chemicals and when you burn it and inhale the smoke you are ingesting a wide variety of carcinogens.

For a long time people thought it was mostly the carcinogens collectively labeled 'tar' in tobacco smoke that was carcinogenic, but recent studies show that nicotine also has carcinogenic properties of it's own.

However, looking at it logically I think exposing oneself to a single carcinogen in low doses is a lot better than inhaling a smorgasboard of them in comparatively huge doses.

The stuff you are avoiding includes, but is not limited to:

* 4-Aminobiphenyl
* Benzene
* Cadmium
* Chromium
* 2-Naphthylamine
* Polonium-210
* Radon
* Vinyl chloride
* Formaldehyde
* Acrylonitrile
* Benzo[a]anthracene
* Benzo[α]pyrene
* 1,3-Butadiene
* Dibenz(a,h)anthracene
* N-Nitrosodiethylamine
* N-Nitrosodimethylamine
* Acetaldehyde
* Benzofluoranthene
* Benzo[j]fluoranthene
* Benzo[k]fluoranthene
* Dibenz[a,h]acridine
* Dibenz[a,j]acridine
* 7H-Dibenz[c,g]carbazole
* Dibenzo(a,i)pyrene
* Dibenzo(a,I)pyrene
* 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine
* Hydrazine
* Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene
* Lead
* Lead 210
* 5-Methylchrysene
* 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)
* 2-Nitropropane
* N-Nitrosodiethanolamine
* N-Nitrosomethylethylamine
* N-Nitrosomorpholine
* N'-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN)
* N-Nitrosopyrrolidine
* Quinoline
* iv ortho-Toluidine
* Urethane (Ethyl Carbamate)


And then there is the radioactive component of tobacco smoking that is eliminated, but that is a vast topic.

--- G.

 

[BilZ0r]

Nicoteine does not cause cancer.

 

[Morrison's Lament]

Nicoteine does not cause cancer.

Nicotine is not considered a carcinogen, but according to the latest research it has carcinigenic properties because it enables the "formation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines". I know it's not the main culprit, not is it anywhere near being a big factor, but an interesting thing to note nonetheless.

Although nicotine does not appear to possess direct carcinogenic activity itself, it enables the formation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, which are potent carcinogens

http://www.quit.org.au/quit/FandI/fandi/c05s1.htm

However, I should point out that it seems to me that nicotine alone would not have this effect. Am I correct in reading it that way?

--- G.

 

[BilZ0r]

^ I believe so.

 

[redeemer]

I found this text, also concerning the carcinogenic properties of tobacco, very interesting:

Tobacco farmers have to (by law) fertilize their crops with phosphates rich in radium-226 (a radioactive substance)