The common knowledge that most cigar users avoid inhaling the smoke contrasts sharply with the typical practice of cigarette smoking. This difference is a necessity rooted in how the tobacco is processed and how the body interacts with the resulting smoke. Unlike cigarettes, cigars undergo a distinct preparation process that alters their chemical makeup, dictating the smoke’s physical properties and the physiological route of nicotine absorption. Understanding these mechanisms explains why deeply inhaling cigar smoke is generally avoided.
The Chemical Composition of Cigar Smoke
The primary reason cigars are not inhaled stems directly from the tobacco’s preparation process, which involves air-curing and fermentation. This lengthy fermentation, often lasting weeks or months, alters the chemical composition of the tobacco leaf, specifically increasing its nitrogen content. This increase in nitrogen compounds leads to a significant difference in the smoke produced upon combustion.
When cigar tobacco burns, the higher concentration of nitrogen compounds results in smoke that is notably alkaline, often exceeding pH 6.0 for large cigars. In contrast, the smoke from most American cigarettes is acidic, typically registering a pH around 5.46. This alkalinity makes the smoke physically irritating and harsh to the delicate tissues of the lungs, acting as a natural deterrent against deep inhalation.
The fermentation and less porous wrappers of cigars also lead to a more incomplete burn compared to cigarettes, concentrating various toxic byproducts. Cigar smoke can contain up to 20 times more ammonia and 80 to 90 times more cancer-causing nitrosamines than cigarette smoke. Furthermore, the amount of tar in cigar smoke is greater than in cigarette smoke. Because cigars are larger and burn longer, they produce a greater overall volume of concentrated toxins, making inhalation intensely uncomfortable and highly irritating to the respiratory tract.
Physiological Absorption: Why Inhaling Isn’t Necessary
The alkaline nature of cigar smoke has a direct consequence for nicotine delivery that bypasses the need for lung inhalation. Nicotine is a weak base, and its physical state is directly influenced by the smoke’s pH level. In the high-pH environment of cigar smoke, nicotine remains largely in its unprotonated or “freebase” form.
Freebase nicotine is lipid-soluble, meaning it can easily dissolve in fats and cross biological membranes, such as the lining of the mouth and throat. This allows the nicotine to be efficiently absorbed through the oral mucosa without having to travel into the lungs. The user achieves the desired systemic nicotine effect simply by holding the smoke in the mouth and allowing the nicotine to be absorbed buccally.
This mechanism eliminates the physiological need to draw the smoke into the lungs for nicotine absorption, which is why inhalation is avoided by cigar users. Conversely, the acidic smoke of most cigarettes converts the nicotine into a protonated, ionized form that is poorly absorbed through the oral mucosa. This necessitates the deep inhalation of cigarette smoke into the lungs, which offer a massive surface area for systemic absorption, to achieve the desired effect.
Comparing Health Risks: Inhalation vs. Non-Inhalation
While not inhaling cigar smoke avoids immediate harshness and reduces the risk of certain lung diseases, it does not eliminate health hazards. Because the smoke is held in the mouth and upper respiratory tract for an extended period, non-inhaling cigar users face significantly increased risks for localized cancers. These include cancers of the mouth, tongue, lips, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus.
The prolonged exposure of the oral and upper airway tissues to concentrated toxins and carcinogens from the alkaline smoke is responsible for this heightened localized risk. Even without inhalation, the smoke’s toxic components, including carbon monoxide and nitrosamines, are still absorbed into the body. Regular cigar users are four to ten times more likely to die from cancers of the mouth, larynx, and esophagus compared to non-smokers.
If a user chooses to inhale deeply, particularly with smaller cigars or cigarillos, the health consequences become similar to those associated with cigarette smoking. When the highly concentrated, alkaline smoke is drawn into the lungs, the user faces increased risks of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and coronary heart disease. Although non-inhalation is the common practice, deep inhalation shifts the risk profile to mirror the severe health outcomes of a heavy cigarette user.