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photo credit: renfield

Lots of people say they would prefer cigar smoke to cigarette smoke and think that cigar are smoke is less harmful than the smoke from cigarettes. However the truth is that cigar smoke is actually more dangerous.

Any second hand smoke from a tobacco product is known as environmental tobacco smoke, and refers to all the smoke released from burning tobacco including cigars, pipes and cigarettes. Research shows that the smoke from cigarettes and cigars is similar and many of the same types of irritants are released. But there is one difference which is overlooked.

People argue that smoking cigars is safer because you do not inhale. However because of their size more environmental tobacco smoke is released into the atmosphere creating a greater danger from secondary inhalation. This is most definitely a case where size is not better.

Cigar and cigarette environmental tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and of course the well-known nicotine. Some dangerous carcinogens are also released namely benzene, arsenic, nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, and vinyl chlorine.

The difference is that the manufacture of a cigar is a long process of fermentation and ageing, in the process of which large amounts of carcinogens are produced. A fermented cigar is wrapped in a non porous wrapper to stop the cigar from burning too quickly. Once lit, these concentrated carcinogens are released, and of course, a burning cigar, (which has been designed to burn slowly), produces more smoke in the immediate area, which produces a greater risk of secondary inhalation to both the smoker, and anyone else nearby.

The truth is being near cigars that are being smoked puts you at greater risk from inhaling this second-hand smoke than from cigarettes.

Tags: cigar, cigars, cigar smoke, secondary inhalation



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