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Dear Readers,
Recently I came upon an excellent paper on
the subject of cigar and pipe smoking. With permission
of the Trustees of Indiana University, the publishers,
I would like to share much of its contents. As an
outspoken enemy of the tobacco industry and its
killer product, I greet the arrival of the increasing
number of cigar/pipe stores and restaurants in our
area with disgust.
Cigars and pipe tobacco are not
required to carry warning labels on their containers
as are cigarettes. This should not be interpreted
as implying that the products are safe, only that
there is a loophole in the law. Our towns should
not serve as a "safe haven" for out-of-staters
who want to be able to smoke in restaurants.
Cigar smoking is on the rise, over
4.5 billion cigars were consumed in the United States
in 1996 and pipes aren't far behind in this dangerous
trend. A century ago, high society adopted the cigar
as a symbol of conspicuous consumption and masculine
power. Now, manufacturers of cigars and related
paraphernalia seek to recreate this image of privilege,
exclusivity, and wealth. Encouraged by advertising
efforts of the cigar and pipe industry, we are urged
to attend "smokers" or "cigar seminars"
to learn arcane info about cigars, but not to learn
the most important fact: cigars kill.
Pipe tobacco and cigars are made
from the dried leaves and stems of the tobacco plant,
Nicotiana tabacum. Originally native to North America,
the plant is now grown around the world. One of
the chemicals contained in tobacco is nicotine,
a powerful and toxic nerve stimulant. Two or three
drops of nicotine, if taken all at once, could kill
an average person.
Pipe tobacco is shredded tobacco
leaf in loose form, it may be aged, it may also
be sprayed with chemicals or flavorings. Cigar construction
differs from that of cigarettes in that the wrappers
are made from whole tobacco leaf (I know, I picked
the stuff when I was a kid!) rather than paper,
and are filled with shredded tobacco, or, as is
said of cheaper brands, "sweepings off the
floor." A large cigar may have as much tobacco
in volume as an entire pack of cigarettes.
The tobacco industry, Hollywood,
and advertising concerns are capitalizing on what
they perceive as the "sophistication, glamor,
power, and sexiness" of smoking cigars. Manufacturers
of small cigars called "blunts" also wink
at the practice of users removing part of the tobacco
from their products and filling the cigars with
marijuana.
Celebrities smirk publicly about
smoking illegally imported Cuban cigars. Slick magazines,
such as Cigar Aficionado combine advertising copy
with articles on gambling, sports, alcohol, and
interviews of celebrity cigar smokers. Cigars are
smelly, and the breath, hair and clothing of smokers
and their surroundings reek of the odor. They are
profitable however, and restaurants have added "cigar
bars," as those who congregate to add to the
clouds of smoke will pay $5 on up for a cigar, and
drink expensive brands of hard liquor
When compared to non-smokers the
cigar smoker has about a four times greater risk
of dying of lung cancer. Non-smokers are also unlikely
to develop cancers of the mouth, lips, palate and
larynx. Cigar tobacco is more alkaline than cigarette
tobacco because of aging and certain treatments.
The more alkaline nature of the tobacco makes it
easier for nicotine to be directly absorbed by the
body, in the same manner that cigarette tobacco
has been adulterated with ammonia-forming compounds
to make cigarette smoke like "freebase"
nicotine.
Pipe and pipe tobacco manufactures
are attempting to cash in on the current popularity
of cigars by creating their own glossy magazines
and online forums. The downside of pipes, as an
article singing their praises in Fortune magazine
says, "is death." Next week, Part II.
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