Eli5: why do cigarettes have so many chemicals in them, why not just tobacco? : explainlikeimfive

Eli5: why do cigarettes have so many chemicals in them, why not just tobacco? : explainlikeimfive

May 3rd, 2014

TLDR There&#39 s a lot to discuss about harm caused by tobacco products but the discussion should not be based on bullshit made up facts.

I work in a laboratory that analyzes cigarettes, filler, and smokeless tobacco for Tobacco Control Act compliance. I am contractually prevented from discussing what I know about cigarette smoke chemistry in detail. However, I can tell you some general information. The majority of the comments that I&#39 ve read in this thread as bullshit. Self proclaimed experts have learned what they know from other self proclaimed experts that have never analyzed a cigarette in their life.

Tobacco is a a natural product that contains a wide variety of compounds, mostly proteins. What makes it different from other natural products are a class of naturally occurring compounds called alkaloids. Nicotine is one of these alkaloids. While addictive, nicotine is not very harmful in mild doses. It is poisonous at large doses. Caffeine has similar characteristics.

1 Combustion byproducts are what makes cigarettes unhealthy. Many of the harmful constituents in cigarette smoke are a result of combustion of the naturally occurring compounds in the tobacco plant. 2 Companies do not add compounds to make the cigarettes more addictive. The addictive elements are inherent in the tobacco. 3 The compounds used to control the burn rate are usually food grade chemicals that you ingest daily from other sources. 4 All cigarettes are required to be self extinguishing if you set them down. Manufacturers are required to prove this for every brand every year. It&#39 s called an Ignition Propensity test. 5 Tobacco is tested to prove the absence of herbicides, pesticides, anti succulents, etc before it is purchased by the manufacturer. 6 There are no propellants or crystals in cigarettes 7 If you understood the chemistry of the combustion you would understand that the concept of spending extra for organically grown cigarettes is foolish. It&#39 s about equivalent to thinking that sodium chloride derived from sea salt is better for you than sodium chloride mined in the Utah salt mines.

The truth about vapor cigarettes

Why you should buy electronic cigarettes online
Posted by Cold Perspective &sdot January 7, 2014 &sdot Leave a comment Filed Under cigarette, vapor, vapor cigarette

By Henry Alvarez

In my group of friends, and a large amount of people I ve seen in Miami, smoking vapor cigarettes is the new thing. People give numerous reasons for the switch including It helps me to quit smoking , It s safer than actual cigarettes , and You don t inhale as much nicotine but all of these statements are dead wrong. The discussion about vapor cigarettes is a pain in itself because no one actually knows anything except for the companies producing these products.

The University of Athens, Greece conducted the most popular study which gathered 32 volunteers, 8 lifetime non smokers and 24 regular smokers (some with healthy lungs and some with Asthma or COPD which is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The study required them to use a vapor cigarette for 10 minutes. After taking a spirometry test and other procedures the study concluded that using a vapor cigarette caused an instant increase in airway resistance lasting 10 minutes. The non smokers experienced airway resistance that rose from 182% to 206% (mean average), this was considered a significant increase. Regular smokers with healthy lungs experienced an increase of resistance from 176% to 220%. Smokers with asthma or COPD experienced no significant increase, probably because their lungs are so screwed up anyway.

A 2009 FDA analysis also found that the vapor does in fact contain toxic chemicals, including one called diethylene glycol which can be found in Antifreeze you know the stuff used in car engines. This statement by an anti smoking advocacy group explains it “There is no evidence that vaping produces inhalable exposures to contaminants of the aerosol that would warrant health concerns by the standards that are used to ensure safety of workplaces. However, the aerosol generated during vaping as a whole (contaminants plus declared ingredients), if it were an emission from industrial process, creates personal exposures that would justify surveillance of health among exposed persons.

If the user of the vapor cigarette is under the impression that the device they are using is harm free, that user is dead wrong. E cigarettes have gained popularity quite fast and these studies show that it s not exactly healthy. The FDA stated that “E cigarettes may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans, and may contain other ingredients that may not be safe. . The true problem is that this industry , if you will, is unregulated. Meaning that they don t have to release vital information including hazards, types of harmful chemicals, and how much nicotine is actually inhaled when vaping. That means that the level you buy from the store might not actually be the level of nicotine you re inhaling.

Because the industry is un regulated many people worry that minors will be exposed to these devices and eventually try them leading to early addictions to nicotine. The oil used by these devices are sold by flavors which include watermelon, chocolate, apple pie, and many more. These flavors may attract minors and get them hooked early. There are actually some states that allow minors to purchase these devices!

Now don t get me wrong, cigarettes also have major health concerns but the idea that vapor cigarettes are healthy is largely invalid. Vapor cigarettes, just like regular cigarettes, are still harmful to the lungs and because these companies don t release any clinical information to the creation and process of the vapor cigarette, the true health risk remain a mystery.

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information gathered from Huffington Post, ABC News, Medical News Today, and