The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that more preventable diseases and deaths are caused by tobacco than any other source. Pipe smokers tend to smoke differently than cigarette smokers, holding smoke in their mouths and throats rather than drawing deeply into their lungs. Although this difference in technique might seem to lessen the risk of pipe tobacco, it does not reduce smoking's health risks and instead creates additional risks.
Misconceptions
Some people believe that pipe tobacco is less harmful and has less nicotine than cigarettes or cigars. But the National Cancer Institute states that all forms of tobacco are harmful to your health. No level or frequency of tobacco use, regardless of the product, is safe.
Addiction
Nicotine impacts dopamine production, a neurotransmitter that affects the brain's pleasure and reward center. Inhaling the nicotine in pipe tobacco stimulates the production of dopamine in ways similar to heroin or cocaine, triggering a pleasure response in the brain. Over time, smokers crave this pleasurable sensation and seek to satisfy the craving by smoking more. When pipe smokers attempt to quit, their bodies experience withdrawal symptoms such as sleeplessness, hunger and irritability.
Diseases
As a result of the harmful chemicals in tobacco, people who smoke run the risk of developing several diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and lung disease. In addition to lowering the smoker's quality of life, each of these diseases is expensive to treat. Although pipe smoking is hazardous to your health, the American Cancer Society states that people who smoke pipe tobacco have a slightly lower risk of death from stroke and diseases of the lung and cardiovascular system than cigarette smokers, but a higher risk of death from those same health issues than non-smokers.
Additional Cancers
Pipe smokers do not inhale as deeply as cigarette smokers; instead, they hold smoke in their mouths and throats. Holding smoke rather than inhaling it creates additional risks for pipe smokers. They experience more frequent instances of cancers of the mouth, including the lip, throat, larynx or voice box, and the esophagus.
Secondhand Smoke
Burning pipe tobacco and exhaled smoke create a gas called secondhand smoke that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says contains a minimum of 250 toxic chemicals. Non-smoking adults exposed to secondhand smoke experience immediate harmful effects to their cardiovascular systems and lungs. Repeated exposure can result in heart attacks and lung cancer.
Children are also at risk from pipe tobacco secondhand smoke. They experience respiratory problems including asthma, sneezing, bronchitis and pneumonia. Secondhand smoke causes ear infections in children and places babies at a greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
Effects of Quitting
Quitting smoking has immediate and long-lasting benefits. Immediately, your body begins expelling the high levels of carbon monoxide that build up from smoking. This improves the flow of oxygen to your lungs and brain, increasing your energy and focus. Your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal levels, and over time your circulation and lung function improve. Longer term, people who quit reduce their chances of developing cancer and other diseases and improve their longevity.
References
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products
- National Cancer Institute: Harms of Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting
- American Cancer Society: What Are the Health Risks of Smoking Pipes or Cigars?
- The Cleveland Clinic: Tobacco Treatment Center -- Types of Tobacco
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Secondhand Smoke
