A Black & Mild is a type of cigarillo, a small, machine-made cigar, which often uses pipe tobacco as its filler and is known for its sweet, aromatic smoke and various flavor options. The common query about a “cancer paper” stems from a misunderstanding of this product’s construction and an attempt to isolate the source of its health risk. While many assume a specific paper component is the main danger, the actual hazards are rooted in the tobacco material and the chemical changes that occur during combustion. Like all tobacco products, Black & Milds pose significant health concerns, which are largely independent of the wrapper material.
Composition of the Black & Mild Wrapper
The outer layer of a Black & Mild is not traditional paper, but a sheet of homogenized tobacco leaf manufactured by grinding tobacco scrap and dust, mixing it with a cellulose-based binder, and then pressing the mixture into a uniform sheet. This process creates a reconstituted tobacco sheet that functions as both the wrapper and the binder for the inner pipe tobacco filler. Consumers often use the term “paper” colloquially because of the wrapper’s uniform appearance, leading to the misconception that it is a separate, uniquely toxic component.
Some users attempt to remove an inner layer of this material, a practice sometimes called “freaking” or “hyping,” based on the belief that this “paper liner” is the primary source of health risks. However, this homogenized material is fundamentally a tobacco product. Removing a portion of the wrapper does not substantially reduce the smoker’s exposure to the toxins generated by the burning tobacco filler, as the danger is inherent in the combusted tobacco itself.
Understanding Carcinogens in Cigarillo Smoke
The primary source of carcinogenic compounds lies in the combustion of the tobacco filler, regardless of the wrapper’s composition. When the tobacco burns, it releases thousands of chemicals, including at least 250 known toxins and carcinogens. These toxic components include carbon monoxide, tar, and specific compounds called tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs).
The fermentation process used for cigar tobacco, including the pipe tobacco filler in Black & Milds, results in higher concentrations of carcinogenic nitrosamines compared to the tobacco used in cigarettes. Cigar smoke is also more alkaline than cigarette smoke, which allows nicotine to be absorbed through the lining of the mouth, even without deep inhalation. This alkaline smoke contains a higher level of tar per gram of tobacco than cigarette smoke, compounding the exposure to cancer-causing substances.
Comprehensive Health Risks of Cigarillo Use
Using cigarillos like Black & Milds carries substantial health risks that mirror those of cigarette smoking, particularly for daily users. The nicotine content in a single cigarillo can be significantly higher than in a cigarette, leading to a strong potential for addiction. Nicotine causes the narrowing of blood vessels, which places increased pressure on the heart and contributes to cardiovascular disease.
Even if the smoke is not deeply inhaled, exposure to the mouth, tongue, throat, and larynx leads to an increased risk of oral, laryngeal, and esophageal cancers. Daily cigarillo use also significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and chronic respiratory issues like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Regular cigarillo use is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality compared to non-smokers.