A large majority of Indian physicians surveyed in an international study incorrectly attributed lung cancer directly to nicotine, highlighting persistent confusion between nicotine and the harmful chemicals produced by tobacco combustion.
The 2022 physician survey found that 88% of doctors in India surveyed agreed that nicotine directly causes lung cancer. Meanwhile, 87% linked nicotine directly to atherosclerosis, while 86% said it directly causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The survey, conducted by Sermo across 11 countries, examined doctors’ understanding of nicotine and smoking-related health risks.
Nicotine is the addictive substance found in tobacco products, but it is not synonymous with tobacco smoke. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, many of which are responsible for the cancers and other serious diseases associated with smoking.
The findings therefore point to a significant knowledge gap among physicians, with many respondents appearing to conflate the health effects of nicotine with those caused by smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Nicotine itself is highly addictive and can affect the cardiovascular system. However, established evidence identifies tobacco smoking and exposure to its toxic chemicals as major causes of cancer, cardiovascular disease and lung disease.
