A doctor has suggested that smokers experienced less severe Covid-19 than people who don’t smoke.
In a clip from a conversation with Theo Von on his podcast, Dr Peter McCullough made the claim while discussing coronavirus. The segment has resurfaced and is again being widely shared on social media.
Covid-19 is a respiratory illness, and it can hit harder in people whose health is compromised in some way.
This can include those with certain underlying medical conditions, older adults, very young children, or people who are pregnant.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also warned that lung health plays a major role in how someone may be affected by the virus. Because smoking damages the lungs, public health guidance generally links smoking with a higher likelihood of worse outcomes from Covid-19.
McCullough, however, argued the reverse—telling Von that smokers were less vulnerable than non-smokers and that they tended to have mild infections and were less likely to experience lingering symptoms.
When asked why that might be the case, he pointed to nicotine as the explanation.
“Because smokers maintain a level of nicotine in the bloodstream,” he said. “Smoking blocks the spike protein. It’s amazing. I thought smokers were going to go down.”
He also asserted that nicotine patches pose no risk and suggested they could be used by people experiencing Long Covid.
Guidance from Cleveland Clinic notes that too much nicotine—whether from patches, vaping, or other sources—can lead to side effects including nausea and vomiting, dizziness, a faster heart rate, and abdominal pain.
McCullough is a cardiologist and has also been a prominent critic of vaccination.
His statements conflict with WHO advice, which says smoking increases vulnerability to Covid-19 and can raise the chance of severe disease.
Advice on smoking and Covid-19 on the WHO website says: “Tobacco users have a higher risk of being infected with the virus through the mouth while smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products.
“If smokers contract the COVID-19 virus, they face a greater risk of getting a severe infection as their lung health is already compromised.”
The WHO also calls for smoking deterrence to be included in wider public-health measures aimed at reducing Covid’s impact, stating: “To protect the public from the devastating health consequences of tobacco use, WHO urges national authorities to follow its recommendations and their commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, within the context of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Separately, smoking remains strongly associated with a range of serious health problems, including increased risks of cancer and heart disease.