Let me begin this post with a disclaimer – it may turn off majority of cigar aficionados at the outset, it might not present a very pretty perspective of cigar smoking. But bear with me please and wait till the conclusion of the topic.
This post comes as a result of some reading that I have been doing. I was trying to find out more about the health effects of cigar smoking. Although I am quite fond of cigars, I still want to be objective about it when it comes to health reasons so here goes…
The Facts
1. One cigar may contain as much tobacco as an entire pack of cigarettes.
2. Cigars are Addictive.
3. Cigar smoke is more concentrated and toxic than cigarette smoke.
4. Smoking as little as one cigar a day increases the risk for cancer.
5. Cigar and pipe smokers are at risk for early tooth loss.
6. Cigar smoking has been linked to erectile dysfunction in men.
They are all pretty scary when you look at the list – and rightly so. For more information on the items, you can check the original article here.
My take on this, though, is that while I agree with the idea that these things may be true, you also have to consider the smoking habits of cigar lovers. For one thing, not everyone smokes cigars the way they smoke cigarettes. Many cigar smokers do not inhale the smoke. Another point is that cigar smokers do not smoke as many cigars as they would smoke cigarettes.
The bottom line I think is moderation.