Dangers of Pipes and Cigars

by Nicholas Strattberg

Pipes and cigars have gained in popularity due to the increasing awareness on the dangers of smoking tobacco. The general shift of smokers from cigarettes to pipes or cigars is in fact a misconception that cigars and pipes are healthier or at least less harmful than tobacco cigarette smoking.

A cigar consists of tobacco rolled in leaf tobacco. On the contrary tobacco cigarettes consist of tobacco rolled in paper or non-tobacco coating. The cigarette design and manufacture is such that they contain a filter which is not the case with cigars.

On a comparative basis, smokers have a 70% greater chance to die from premature death compared with no-smokers. When comparing cigarette smokers and cigar smokers, the risk of premature death amongst cigar smokers raises by 10%.

Practically smoking, cigar smokers do not inhale the tobacco smoke. However, research shows that cigarette smokers who migrate to cigar smoking actually inhale the harmful smoke from cigars. This has to do with practice of tobacco cigarette smoking.

Cigars provide a greater and faster nicotine dependency than cigarettes. Chemistry wise, cigar smoke is more alkaline than cigarette smoke making it possible to dissolve fast in saliva. Researchers have shown that for this reason nicotine in cigars can be absorbed and offer high enough levels without reaching the lungs.

On the health of an individual pipes and cigars are responsible for coronary heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease. They are also related to some cancers. In fact the lung cancer risk factors are similar to that of cigarette smoking and lung cancer.Further examinations done on a "per gram of tobacco smoked" basis have since shown that tar, carbon monoxide and ammonia are released at higher quantities by cigars compared to cigarettes.

The risk of lung cancer in cigar smokers is double that of non-smokers according to a United States study involving over 17000 men. A different research in Europe gave a 9 fold risk factor. Amazingly the number of cigar smokers who die from lung cancer is significantly lower compared to cigarette smokers.

It has also been established that cigar smokers face double the risk of mouth cancer, throat and esophagus than people who never smoked. Larynx cancer is said to develop in cigar smokers at more or less the same rate as cigarette smokers.

Pipe and cigar smokers encounter a higher mortality rate from bronchitis and emphysema compared to people who never smoked. The dangers of second hand smoke are equally frightening for pipe and cigar smokers. By-standers have an equal risk of lung cancer and other smoking diseases as compared to tobacco cigarette smokers.

All in all pipes and cigars are not safe nor healthier than cigarettes. In cases were they appear to be of less harm they actually still cause disease. Tobacco is harmful. It doesn't altogether matter how it's administered.

The difference approaches to nicotine delivery are not as important. Even tobacco water pipe smoking is equally harmful even though many are deceived into thinking its safe.

• Iribarren et al. Effect of cigar smoking on the risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer in men. New England Journal of Medicine 1999; 340; 1773-1780.
• Boffetta P. et al. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1999; 91; No. 8: 697-701.
• Baker, F et al. Health risks associated with cigar smoking. JAMA 2000; 284;735-740
• Cigars - Health Effects and Trends. Tobacco Control Monograph No. 9. National Cancer Institute, US Dept of Health and Human Services, 1998.
• Report of the Scientific Committee on Tobacco & Health, Department of Health, 1998.

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