Certainly we are all aware of the health perils related with smoking, but is cigar smoking just as dangerous, or worse, than smoking cigarettes? Well, frequent cigar smoking, according to the National Cancer Institute, has been associated with a serious health menace to the the lungs, voice box, oral cavity, and esophagus. Newer research has established that pancreatic cancer is connected with frequent cigar smoking as well. Cigar smokers that breathe in while enjoying a stogie are Also cautioned by doctors that they are at a higer risk of acquiring heart problems and lung disease.

Apparently, regular smoke inhalation appear to dramatically increase the health threats to individuals that smoke cigars. Someone who smokes three to four cigars each day will be eight times more likely of developing some kind of oral cancer than a nonsmoker. Unfortunately, we do not yet know the health risks of smoking the occasional cigar but it seems clear however that smoking cigars on a daily basis can pose serious health risks.
Are cigars as addictive as cigarettes, and if so, why are so many people addicted to cigarettes as opposed to cigars? Truth be told, all tobacco products can become addictive as they contain the addictive chemical nicotine in them, and this includes smokeless tobacco as well. These products, such as chewing tobacco, can become very addictive, simply because they contain tobacco, which in turn contains nicotine. Most smokers of cigars rarely inhale the smoke deeply, or at all, thus causing superficial absorption of nicotine. Nicotine is absorbed much faster in cigarette smokers, however, as most of them do tend to inhale deeply. Even though most cigar smokers inhale the nicotine more superficially, it is still possible to become addicted if the user smokes cigars on a regular basis.
Why don’t cigar smokers smoke less often if nicotine is so addictive? It appears that less smokers become ‘hooked’ on cigars for several reasons. The most obvious reason of course is that the nicotine is inhaled much more superficially than it is in regular cigarette smoking, resulting in less nicotine being absorbed by the body. Additionally, cigars tend to be a luxury item saved for special occasions, and are not as used as frequently nor are they as accessible as cigarettes are. However, if frequency of use increases, cigars can become just as addictive as cigarettes, and will actually pose increased health risks to the user in comparison to cigarettes.


