Are Cigars Safer than Cigarettes? You’ve probably heard of celebratory cigars for promotions or big life events like buying a new home or the birth of a child. Since they’re sometimes used as a reward, you may not think cigars are as harmful as cigarettes, but don’t be fooled. Whether it’s a cigar, cigarette or e-cigarette, no amount of smoking is safe. Any type of tobacco use raises your risk of nicotine dependence and health problems that could affect your mission readiness. What’s the Difference Between Cigars and Cigarettes? Both cigars and cigarettes contain a roll of tobacco within an outer wrapping. Cigars are often wrapped in leaf tobacco, while cigarettes are wrapped with substances that do not contain tobacco, such as paper. This means that cigars contain tobacco on the inside and outside, making them more potent than cigarettes. As a result, smoking cigars can expose you to higher levels of toxic chemicals like carbon monoxide and tar. Can Cigars Be Addictive? Like all tobacco products, cigars contain nicotine. In fact, one full-size cigar may have the same amount of nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical that can cause long term health issues and make it hard to quit smoking. Smoking cigars, even if you don’t inhale, can expose you to large amounts of nicotine and increase your risk of dependence. If you become addicted to nicotine, trying to stop use may cause you to feel irritable and restless. Are Cigars Harmful to My Health? Yes! There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco products, including cigars. Even if you only smoke occasionally or in social situations, cigar use can harm your health and physical fitness. Cigar and cigarette smoke have the same toxins, so smoking cigars can cause similar effects to smoking cigarettes. This means that cigar use can expose those nearby to dangerous secondhand and thirdhand smoke. It can also pose a serious health risk to you, affecting multiple parts of your body. Oral Health Oral HealthSmoking cigars can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Frequent cigar use can also increase the risk of cancers in your mouth and throat. Heart Health Heart HealthIf you regularly smoke cigars, your risk of heart disease may be higher. Lung Health Lung HealthYou are more likely to develop lung cancer if you smoke cigars. Your risk of other lung conditions, like chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may also increase. Did You Know? If you are pregnant, using tobacco products can harm your developing baby. Nicotine may cause low birthweight, preterm delivery and stillbirth. It can also cause problems with your baby’s brain and lung development. Learn more about smoking during pregnancy. What If I’m Trying to Quit Smoking? Cigars are not an FDA-approved smoking cessation method. Consider nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) instead, which safely helps relieve physical withdrawal symptoms for those who have quit smoking. NRT options approved by the FDA include nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers, nasal spray and pill medications. For more information on NRT, click here.If you want to stop smoking, visit the Warfighter Wellness Thinking About Quitting Tobacco and How to Build a Quit Plan webpages. You can also try the Tobacco Free Challenge. Additional ResourcesWarfighter Wellness - “Common Myths About Tobacco”You Can Quit 2 ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention - “Cigars”Mayo Clinic - “Is cigar smoking safer than cigarette smoking?”Warfighter Wellness - “Nicotine Pouches: Better than Smoking?”You Can Quit 2. - “Cigars Are Not a Safe Alternative to Cigarettes”
