On World No Tobacco Day, it is important to address a persistent and dangerous misconception that smoking might somehow protect against Parkinson’s disease (PD). The reality is that smoking contributes to long-term brain damage, accelerates neurodegeneration, and significantly increases the risk of several serious health conditions.
Yes, you heard that right. Somewhere along the timeline of public health messaging, nicotine got the wrong name as a neuroprotective agent. But do not go lighting up just yet.
“Let us set the record straight,” says Dr. Lohith Reddy, Senior Consultant- Radiation Oncologist at HCG Cancer Centre, Bangalore. “Yes, nicotine can stimulate dopamine release, which is central to movement and mood—both impacted in Parkinson’s. But this dopamine boost is temporary and comes at a massive cost.”
That cost? A barrage of health issues, including stroke, lung cancer, and brain degeneration. Parkinson’s is already a disease of dopamine decline, and while nicotine may momentarily lift levels, long-term smoking sabotages the very neurones it pretends to support.
Dr. Vikram Vora, Medical Director at International SOS (India), adds clarity to this confusion. “The relationship between smoking and Parkinson’s disease is often misunderstood. While some older studies suggested a reduced PD risk among smokers, more recent research reveals that any initial protective effect is short-lived. The cumulative damage from smoking like oxidative stress, vascular harm, and neuroinflammation, actually accelerates the degeneration seen in Parkinson’s.”
This is not just for patients and families; this is a red flag for employers and policymakers too. Dr. Vora warns that Parkinson’s disease is on the rise globally, with incidence expected to double by 2040. That is not just a health crisis; it is a productivity crisis in the making.
“For working-age populations, brain health is not optional. Prioritising smoking cessation is not just good for lungs and hearts; it is critical for cognitive resilience.”
So what should people be doing instead of puffing their way toward illusory dopamine highs? Dr. Reddy speaks of the long game: “There is no shortcut to brain health. Focus on proven strategies like regular physical activity, a balanced diet, restful sleep, stress management, and absolutely no tobacco in any form.”
The myth of the smoking-Parkinson’s “protection” is exactly that, a myth. As science exposes the illusion of nicotine’s benefits, we are left with a sad truth: smoking is a slow-burning fuse to a host of brain and body disorders.
