Are cigars or pipes a better alternative to cigarettes?
No! Tobacco is tobacco – no matter what form it’s in. Like other forms of tobacco, cigars and pipes bring risks of lung, breast, pancreatic, prostate, colorectal, liver, and oral cancer; lung disease; stroke; and heart attack. Although the risk for lung cancer is lower among cigar smokers, the risk increases with the frequency of cigar use and depth of inhalation. In addition, smoke from cigars and pipes causes respiratory infections, headaches, and burning eyes. While cigar smokers may spend one hour smoking a single large cigar, that cigar can contain as much tobacco and can provide the same nicotine exposure as a pack of cigarettes. Cigars can contain seven times more tar and 30 times more carbon monoxide than a cigarette, depending of the cigar size. Along with the health risks brought on by smoking cigarettes, cigar and pipe smoking bring additional threats to a person’s health. Cigar and pipe smokers have increased rates of chronic cough and phlegm. Also, pipe smokers are particu
