Most people know that inhaling secondhand cigarette smoke can be dangerous. But what about inhaling the smoke from a cigar? The dangers of being exposed to cigar smoke can be just as dangerous (if not worse) than the smoke of a cigarette.

The secondhand smoke from both cigarettes and cigars both contain some of the same ingredients that can cause irritation to others, including nicotine, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide. In addition, they both also release the same dangerous ingredients that can cause cancer, which include benzene, arsenic, hydrocarbons, and nitrosamines. While they both contain the many of the same ingredients, cigars are of a bigger size. So they release more tobacco and irritants than the cigarettes do. When inhaled, even by those who do not smoke, this can cause a great health risk and a chance of becoming ill with diseases such as cancer.

Now, while cigarettes and cigars release the same irritants and tobacco smoke, they still have their differences, which are related to the ways they are each manufactured. The manufacturing of the cigars make the smoke more dangerous than that of cigarettes. Cigars are aged and fermented. Then they become wrapped in a nonporous wrapper. This wrapper keeps the cigar from quickly burning out. All of this helps to add to the cigar smoke’s high concentrations of carcinogens, as well as increasing the risk of cancer. When the cigar is lit, the fermentation and the nonporous wrapper cause the carcinogens to be released. When released, they can be breathed in by those around the smoker. This secondhand can cause just as much damage to those who do not smoke then to do those who do smoke.

The dangers of being exposed to cigar smoke also come from the length of the cigar and the distance it is from the person’s body. Due to the fact that cigars are bigger than cigarettes, they can release more smoke, which can be higher in irritants and toxins. The process of actually smoking the cigarette is slower than the process of smoking regular cigarettes. So this can create more harmful smoke and the smoke will be in the air for a longer period of time.

So as you can see, the smoke of a cigar can be just as harmful when inhaled by non-smokers than it can be for those who actually do smoke. If you are a smoker, you should be sure to smoke in a well-ventilated area and away from the non-smokers. They have chosen not to smoke for a reason, so it would be considerate to not surround them with the cloud of harmful smoke. If you are a non-smoker, you should keep your distance from those who are smoking around you, so that you do not breathe in the secondhand smoke and put yourself at any dangerous health risks.
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Written by Tammy85
I’m Tammy. I’m friendly & easy to get along with. I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, writing, photography, beading, and more.