Cigars & Cigarillos

Are cigars safer than cigarettes?

Straight Fact

Cigars are known to have the same dangerous health effects as cigarettes.

Unfiltered Answer

Smoking cigars can have long-term health effects like cancer, heart disease and death. Along with lung cancer, cigars can also cause throat cancer, mouth cancer and more.[1]

While cigars aren’t always inhaled into the lungs, they are often larger or more potent than cigarettes. That means they can contain more tobacco and more nicotine. They are not a safe alternative to cigarettes.

Is secondhand cigar smoke dangerous?

Straight Fact

Yes.

Unfiltered Answer

Data suggests that secondhand cigar smoke is even more dangerous than secondhand cigarette smoke. Since cigars are larger, they give off higher levels of some toxins than other tobacco products.[2]

All cigars and cigarillos contain nicotine.[1]

Are cigarillos safer than cigars?

Straight Fact

No.

Unfiltered Answer

Cigarillos consist of over 90% of cigar sales.[1] Not only are they extremely popular, they provide the same health risks as cigars.[3]

What about flavored cigarillos?

Straight Fact

No. Some could argue flavored cigarillos are even more dangerous.

Unfiltered Answer

Flavored tobacco products impact Black people and young people even more. Black people who smoke make up 85% of menthol cigarette users and nearly 74% of teens say they smoke cigars because of certain flavors.[4] Tobacco companies know this and advertise their products to take advantage of certain people and minorities.

You absorb nicotine even if you don’t inhale.[2]

Do teens really smoke cigars?

Straight Fact

Yes.

Unfiltered Answer

Nearly 1,400 teens try cigars for the first time every day.[1] Also, many high school boys smoke cigars as cigarettes.

Nicotine Products

Get the facts about different nicotine products.

Sources

Sources

  1. CDC: Smoking & Tobacco Use: Cigars

  2. Tobacco Free Kids: The Rise of Cigars and Cigar-Smoking Harms

  3. Mayo Clinic: Is cigar smoking safer than cigarette smoking?

  4. FDA Commits to Evidence-Based Actions Aimed at Saving Lives and Preventing Future Generations of Smokers