Nicotine and cancer myth hurts public health, say experts

Many Americans take a dark view of nicotine. The stimulant, which occurs naturally in tobacco plants, is what makes cigarettes so addictive, with smoking responsible for 490,000 American deaths each year . When people try to quit smoking, it’s often cravings for nicotine, and the surge of dopamine it releases in the brain, that foil their attempts.

In this sense, nicotine is responsible for many health problems. But public health experts say that while nicotine poses risks, some nicotine products are safer than cigarettes — and they worry popular misconceptions about the chemical’s effect on the body are doing more harm than good.

A majority of people in the U.S. wrongly believe that nicotine is the substance in cigarettes that causes cancer. In fact, “the harm from smoking comes fro