[ExI] Is tobacco really harmful"?

[Stathis Papaioannou]

2009/11/28 Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org>:

> Virtually nobody is using pure nicotine as a drug, though patches
> and electric evaporators could deliver it in principle.

Large numbers of people use nicotine gum, patches and inhalers in
order to help them give up smoking. In most countries these are
available without prescription. Although nicotine can cause acute
increases in blood pressure and heart rate, there is no clear evidence
that nicotine replacement therapy is a cardiovascular risk factor. And
in any case there are potential cardiovascular toxins in cigarette
smoke other than nicotine, eg. causing hyperlipidaemia and
hypercoagulability, so smokers are always better off switching to
nicotine replacement therapy.


-- 
Stathis Papaioannou