Cigar smoking is a trendy "habit" that has spawned an entire cigar culture. Cigar aficionados read magazines, frequent shops and bars, and visit trade shows and samplings, much as do wine connoisseurs. Regular cigar smoking presents significant health risks. A large cigar can contain the same amount of tobacco and nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lung Cancer
Cigar smoke contains the same dangerous, cancer-causing chemicals as cigarette smoke. The fermentation process of the tobacco also produces another cancer-causing agent known as nitrosamines, according to the National Cancer Institute. Just as cigarette smokers are at a much higher lung cancer risk, so, too, are cigar smokers.
Oral Cancers
The risks of cancers of the lips, tongue, larynx and esophagus are multiplied with regular cigar smoking. Even if smokers do not inhale, toxins are absorbed in the mouth, and damage is done. Cigar wrappers are thicker and less porous than cigarette paper, meaning the burn is less complete and more toxins leach into a smoker's mouth. Regular cigar smokers are 4 to 10 times more likely to die from mouth, esophagus and larynx, or voice box cancer than non-smokers, according to the American Cancer Society.
Heart Disease
People who smoke cigars daily, or those who inhale, are at greater risk for heart disease than non smokers. The Federal Trade Commission forces cigar companies to post a Surgeon General's warning about heart disease risk on their packaging.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a lung disease that gradually robs you of people of the ability to breathe properly. It ends in death. Cigar smoking increases your risk of developing emphysema. All cigar smokers are at risk, but those who inhale are in the most danger.
Reproductive Problems
The Federal Trade Commission and Surgeon General warn of higher risk of infertility, stillbirth and low birth weight as consequences of tobacco use, including smoking cigars. Smoking or exposure to second-hand cigar smoke can create problems with a child's birth.
