Smoking & tobaccoFacts about smoking
Cigars & pipes
In 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General's Report linked lung cancer, lung disease and heart disease to cigarette smoking. Many people gave up cigarettes, but did not make the connection to all forms of tobacco use. They switched to pipes and cigars, believing (wrongly) that they were safer.
Turns out, the risks of smoking pipes and cigars are simply slightly different.
Cigarillos
These are smaller than cigars, but contain more tobacco than cigarettes. People tend to smoke them the same way they do cigarettes because they come with a filter and are similar in size. Smoking cigarillos increases your risk of tobacco-related disease (lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease etc.) because they have high levels of tar & nicotine.
Cigars
Cigars contain more tobacco than cigarettes because they are bigger. This means they have more tar, nicotine and other harmful ingredients. Smoking cigars increases your risk for:
- Mouth and throat cancer because the smoke is held in back of throat
- Increased risk of cancers of digestive tract because smoke in saliva may be swallowed
- Tooth and gum problems
Pipes
Pipes are made from cigarette tobacco with added flavouring and scent. The risks for smoking pipes are the same as for cigar smokers. Pipe smokers also have a higher risk for:
- Lip cancer (if you suck on the pipe stem when not smoking)
- A groove in your teeth where you hold the pipe stem
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