Why Are Low-Nicotine, Low-Tar Cigarettes Just as Bad as Regular Cigarettes?

As the dangers of cigarettes gradually came to light, tobacco companies rushed to produce “light” cigarettes that supposedly did less harm. Citing reduced levels of tar and nicotine, cigarette manufacturers assured the populace that these were the smokes to switch to if you were worried about lung cancer, emphysema, or any of the other serious conditions associated with tobacco use.

It might be a hard truth to realize, but light cigarettes aren’t actually any better for you than their full-strength equivalents. It isn’t really the nicotine or tar in cigarettes that’s hurting you, though each substance certainly plays it part. It’s the act of smoking tobacco itself that’s harmful, and the only way to eliminate the risk is to quit.

Do light cigarettes contain less nicotine?

Yes, light cigarettes generally contain reduced concentrations of nicotine per cigarette compared to “regular” cigarettes. The amount of nicotine you consume doesn’t change that much, though.

Average “regular” cigarettes contain around 10mg nicotine, and light cigarettes reduce this amount to around 5-7mg. You only ingest around 10% of the nicotine in a cigarette, though, so smoking light cigarettes will only reduce your nicotine consumption by a maximum of around 1mg per cigarette.

Are low-nicotine cigarettes better for you?

No, reducing the amount of nicotine in a cigarette does not make smoking significantly better for you. While nicotine is certainly a harmful substance in its own right, it isn’t the ingredient responsible for most smoking-related illnesses.

Instead, it’s the 7,000+ chemicals present in cigarettes that cause diseases like cancer when they’re bonded to your lungs, throat, and mouth with sticky tobacco tar. Light cigarettes contain just as many (or even more) chemicals as their regular equivalents.

Are low-tar cigarettes better for you?

No, reducing the amount of tar in a tobacco cigarette does not make it significantly better for you. Tar is the substance that adheres dangerous chemicals to the lining of your lungs and other sensitive tissues, but tar in itself isn’t the culprit behind this damage.

Rather, it’s the chemicals in cigarettes that enter tar, a natural product of combustion, and find their way into your body. Tar is certainly part of the problem with cigarettes, but avoid the temptation to shoot the messenger.

Do low-tar cigarettes improve lung function?

No, any scientific evidence suggesting low-tar cigarettes might help your lungs has long-since been debunked. During the beginning of the “light cigarette” movement, some cigarette manufacturers tried to position light smokes as a solution for tobacco users who had already developed health problems from smoking.

The truth is the only smoking-related action that will actually improve your lung function is complete cessation of tobacco use. Switching to a different or “lighter” type of cigarette will not save you from smoking-related conditions.

Why are light cigarettes just as dangerous as regular cigarettes?

While reducing the amount of tar and nicotine present per cigarette, light cigarettes nonetheless fail to address the underlying problem with smoking tobacco: the thousands of dangerous chemicals added to cigarettes or that are created during the combustion process.

What is the lowest-tar cigarette in 2021?

Right now, the variations in tar levels between cigarettes don’t make a significant difference. Tar in tobacco cigarettes will always be harmful as long as cigarettes contain dangerous chemicals, and tar is a natural, unavoidable product of the incineration process.

Instead of trying to avoid tar in tobacco, try switching to a different plant altogether. While hemp also produces tar when smoked, scientists haven’t been able to tie this tar to the potential for harm.

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What is the lowest-nicotine cigarette in 2021?

It doesn’t matter if a tobacco cigarette contains reduced amounts of nicotine. Reducing the amount of nicotine in a cigarette might make it slightly less addictive, but “light,” low-nicotine cigarettes still contain just as many harmful chemicals as their regular equivalents.

Can you smoke hemp cigarettes instead of tobacco?

The thousands of former tobacco smokers around the country who have switched to hemp report excellent results. Smoking hemp appears to be a viable alternative to smoking tobacco that people tired of dangerous, addictive chemicals are embracing everywhere.

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THE VERDICT: low-tar, low-nicotine tobacco cigarettes are not safer

As the substance that gets you addicted to cigarettes, nicotine is far from innocent. The same goes for tar, the sticky substance that slams carcinogenic chemicals against your lung and throat lining.

It’s just that removing tar and nicotine doesn’t make cigarettes less harmful. The entire premise of “light” cigarettes is deceptive: Don’t believe for a moment that light cigarettes will either protect you from smoking-related illnesses or help you quit.

THE SOLUTION: Hemp flower cigarettes

There’s an old saying: “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.” You can no more take the “dangerous” out of “tobacco” than you can take the “pig” out of “pig.” Trying to dress up tobacco cigarettes like they’re somehow safe is an exercise in futility: one that already failed decades ago.

If you still think light cigarettes are any different these days, maybe there’s no hope. Hemp smokes will always be there for you, though, whenever you’re ready to see the true light.

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