These Are The Substances That A Cigar Contains
Among the substances that a cigarette contains we can count nicotine, tar and hydrocyanic gas. All are toxic and cause a serious deterioration of health, which is why they are considered risk factors for multiple pathologies.
In the smoke that emanates from a cigarette there are 4000 chemical elements, and among them, about 50 are carcinogenic. But the final harmful effect of smoking is not only cancer, but lung and cardiovascular diseases are also associated.
The main reaction released by the substances contained in a cigarette is combustion, therefore, toxic smoke is not only derived from ordinary cigarettes. All types of tobacco, to a greater or lesser extent, represent a risk factor when smoking.
The three most relevant substances that a cigarette contains
We can mention three main toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke; nicotine, carbon monoxide, and tar. On all three there is sufficient evidence regarding their deleterious effect on human health.
Nicotine
Nicotine is the best known substance in a cigarette. Its absorption is rapid and can reach the brain in less than 10 seconds. Once there, neurons are stimulated to produce the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Through dopamine, nicotine supports the cigarette addiction circuit. At the same time, tolerance and abstinence appear; the first is the need for more and more doses to sustain the effect of satisfaction, and the second is the set of symptoms that become present when the addictive substance is suspended.
Nicotine is a stimulant of the central nervous system. On the heart, the heart rate increases, affecting blood pressure.
Carbon monoxide
Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide. It is the same substance that appears toxic after the combustion of automobile engines.
Carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from hemoglobin and competes with it for its place in the blood. In this way, smokers reduce their oxygen carrying capacity when compared to other non-smokers.
Tar
What we call tar is a generic term to refer to many toxins that fall into the same category. This group of chemicals is responsible for tobacco stained teeth.
Tar is progressively deposited in the lung tissue. When the limit of 20 cigarettes a day is exceeded, the accumulation is around 500 grams in a year, which is the primary risk factor for cellular changes that lead to lung cancer.
Other substances in a cigarette
We can mention more substances that a cigarette contains and that are harmful to health.
- Ammonium: Ammonium is included in cigarettes so that nicotine crystallizes. The goal in the tobacco industry is for nicotine to enter the body faster, and that is why it is added. By alkalizing tobacco smoke, its penetration becomes more efficient.
- Hydrogen cyanide gas: In the invisible part of cigarette smoke is hydrocyanic gas. It is also a competitor to oxygen, thus contributing to low oxygenation in smokers. It has a high carcinogenic power, since it stimulates cell mutation.
- Tobacco waste : the filling of the cigars is completed with tobacco remains that are not the leaves, but the waste of its production. Flavoring is added to this filling to make consumption more pleasant. Among these aggregates there are also harmful chemicals.
The cigarette does not contain healthy substances
Among the substances that a cigarette contains, it cannot be said that there is a healthy one. Even chemicals that are harmless by themselves, in the context of cigarettes, take on a negative connotation because they contribute to the final carcinogenic effect on human cells.
Smoking is behind a third of cancers in the world, being not only responsible for lung cancer, but also participating in the development of esophagus, mouth, colon, pancreas and bladder. Some forms of leukemia are also related to tobacco.
Another issue is that of passive smokers, who are harmed by the smoke they inhale because of others. As we said, combustion expels toxins through smoke, and this travels through the air, depositing on surfaces, from where it also harms.
In short, there are no healthy substances contained in cigarettes. This must be clear to recognize that advertising messages that advocate moderate consumption are actually myths.
