Cigars are distinct from cigarettes in their composition, smoking behavior, and resulting health consequences. A cigar is a roll of tobacco wrapped in a leaf of tobacco or a substance containing tobacco, and a single large cigar can contain as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes. This difference in tobacco quantity and preparation affects the smoke’s chemical makeup. The reason for avoiding inhalation is rooted in the harsh, high-alkaline nature of the smoke and the severe, concentrated toxic exposure it delivers directly to the lungs.
The Unique Composition of Cigar Smoke
The difference in smoke composition is largely due to the unique way cigar tobacco is processed. Unlike the flue-cured tobacco common in most cigarettes, cigar tobacco is often air-cured and fermented, a process that increases the tobacco’s nitrogen content. This preparation, combined with the wrapper material, leads to a less complete combustion of the tobacco when smoked.
The cigar wrapper is typically a non-porous tobacco leaf, unlike the highly porous paper used in cigarettes, which allows air to feed the burn more consistently. This dense wrapping causes the cigar to burn at a lower temperature and with less oxygen, generating a smoke that is highly alkaline (high in pH). This high pH smoke is notably harsher and more irritating to the respiratory tract than the acidic smoke of most cigarettes.
The incomplete combustion also results in a smoke saturated with high concentrations of toxic compounds. Cigar smoke contains higher levels of nitrogen compounds, including tobacco-specific nitrosamines, which are potent carcinogens. It also delivers greater amounts of carbon monoxide and tar compared to cigarette smoke.
How Nicotine is Absorbed Without Inhaling
The smoker still receives a substantial dose of nicotine due to the smoke’s high pH level. Nicotine has a naturally alkaline pH of 8.02, and the high pH of the cigar smoke ensures a greater proportion of the nicotine remains in its un-ionized, or “freebase,” form.
The absorption occurs directly through the mucous membranes lining the mouth, known as buccal absorption. When a smoker holds the alkaline cigar smoke in their mouth, the freebase nicotine passes easily across the mucosal tissues and enters the bloodstream. This mechanism is efficient enough that deep lung inhalation is not required to achieve a psychoactive nicotine effect.
In contrast, the smoke from most cigarettes is more acidic, meaning the nicotine is primarily in an ionized form that cannot easily cross the mouth’s membranes. Cigarette smokers must inhale the smoke deep into the lungs, where the vast surface area of the alveoli allows for rapid absorption regardless of the smoke’s pH.
Elevated Health Risks of Inhaling Cigar Smoke
The primary danger of inhaling cigar smoke comes from introducing its highly concentrated, alkaline toxins directly into the sensitive tissues of the lungs. Because a single large cigar can contain the tobacco equivalent of an entire pack of cigarettes, inhaling the smoke subjects the lungs to an enormous toxic load. This exposure significantly increases the risk of developing lung cancer, emphysema, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
The depth of inhalation is a major factor in determining the severity of the health consequences. Cigar smokers who inhale, especially those who were previously cigarette smokers, face health risks similar to those of heavy cigarette smokers. This pattern combines the high toxic delivery of cigar smoke with the lung exposure typical of cigarette use.
Beyond lung damage, inhaling cigar smoke causes high systemic absorption of nicotine and carcinogens. This contributes to cardiovascular risks, including increased rates of heart attack and stroke. The carbon monoxide in the smoke reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, straining the heart and blood vessels.
Inhaling cigar smoke adds the severe risks associated with deep lung exposure to the existing dangers inherent in cigar use, such as cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus. While non-inhaling smokers concentrate risks in the upper respiratory and digestive tracts, inhaling the smoke extends the damage to the entire pulmonary and circulatory systems.