Cigarettes are made from the nicotine present inside of tobacco, a substance found in the leaves of certain plants. According to the American Heart Association, nicotine is an addictive substance that can cause irritability, restlessness and mood problems. But for decades, their obscurity contributed to a misunderstanding of the effects of cigarettes. Even today there are still facts about cigarettes that are relatively unknown.
Components
The tobacco present within cigarettes is a blend between two different types of tobacco leaves, which have approximately 2.5 to 4 percent nicotine. Together they are made to offer a steady dose of nicotine to the smoker. Cigarettes may also contain arsenic, formaldehyde, lead, hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia and 43 known carcinogens. Even urea, a component of urine made from the breakdown of amino acids, is sometimes used for flavor. However, this last element is not intended to sound disgusting. Urea has many commercial applications such as skin cream and animal feed. Overall, there are over 4,000 total ingredients.
Cigarette Burning
During the act of inhalation, a cigarette burns at 1,292 degrees F, or 700 degrees C, at the tip and 140 F, or 60 C, at the core. The temperature of a cigarette might be enough to cause gasoline to auto-ignite under certain conditions. At the same time, the tobacco breaks down to produce about 200 compound chemicals, which are released into the atmosphere in the form of invisible gases and particles. The smoke contributes 5 to 8 percent of the cigarette's output.
Physiological Effects
The nicotine, which evaporates when the cigarette is lit, is absorbed rapidly by the body and reaches the brain within 10 to 15 seconds. Upon dissemination, nicotine hampers the central nervous system and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. This results in a greater need for oxygen. The immune system of a smoker also has to work harder to protect blood cells and clean out toxins from the brain. Therefore, the smoker's blood will contain fewer antioxidants but mobilizes quicker in response to attacks by foreign invaders. This will focus the body's priorities away from the digestion of food. It is for this reason that smokers often claim that cigarettes "allow food to digest easier."
Economics
Cigarettes are the single most traded item on the planet. About a trillion cigarettes are sold from country to country each year. The cigarette industry is one of the largest, accruing $400 billion annually. According to the World Health Organization, however, approximately 25 percent of cigarettes sold around the world are actually smuggled.
"Light" Cigarettes
"Light" cigarettes are produced by the infusion of tobacco with carbon dioxide. This mixture is superheated until the tobacco distends outward like expanding foam. The expanded tobacco is then made to fill the same paper tube as regular tobacco. Smokers draw on light and menthol cigarettes harder, on average, than regular cigarettes, causing the same overall levels of tar and nicotine to be consumed.
