Table 2.

Statements by authoritative bodies on the potential carcinogenic effect of nicotine per se.

Authoritative body	Authoritative statement	Attributing statement
WHO FCTC*	–	• Not a carcinogen, but may function as a tumor promoter
IARC†	(No full assessment)	• Not generally considered to be a carcinogen • Biological effects through receptor binding • Likely enhances carcinogenicity
FDA‡	(HPHC list)	• Not listed as a carcinogen
US Surgeon General¶	“The evidence is inadequate to infer the presence or absence of a causal relationship between exposure to nicotine and risk for cancer.”	• Insufficient data to conclude that nicotine causes or contributes to cancer in humans • No support from animal studies for the hypothesis that nicotine is a complete carcinogen • Tumor promoter in some experimental models
US Surgeon General§	–	• Mechanistic data supporting a role of nicotine in stimulating carcinogenesis
UK RCP∥	–	• No direct evidence for carcinogenicity of NRTs

HPHC: harmful and potentially harmful constituents; IARC: International Agency for Research on Cancer; NRT: nicotine replacement therapy product; US FDA: US Food and Drug Administration; UK RCP: Royal College of Physicians; WHO FCTC: World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

*From WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2014).

†From International Agency for Research on Cancer (2012).

‡From US Food and Drug Administration (2012).

¶From US Department of Health and Human Services (2014).

§From US Department of Health and Human Services (2010).

∥From UK Royal College of Physicians (2007).