Is it safer to smoke pipes and cigars than cigarettes?

Some people believe that smoking a pipe or cigars is better for your health than smoking cigarettes.

Part of the reason for this is that many pipe and cigar smokers do not inhale the smoke into their lungs, whereas almost all cigarette smokers do.

However, the idea that smoking a pipe or cigar is harmless is wrong. The truth is that smoking of any kind is bad for your health. There is no such thing as a safe tobacco product.

Being completely smoke-free is the single best step you can take to reduce the risk of fatal diseases and increase your chances of a longer, healthier life.

Pipe down

Research has shown that while smoking a pipe may not be as dangerous as smoking cigars or cigarettes, it can still seriously damage your health.

Smoking a pipe increases your risk of many different cancers, including cancer of the mouth, head and neck, larynx (voice box), esophagus and lung. In fact, if you smoke a pipe, your risk of mouth cancer is higher than that of someone who smokes cigarettes.

Pipe smoking also increases your risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a collection of lung conditions. They include bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. COPD causes 30,000 deaths every year.

Say goodbye to cigars

If you smoke cigars, you are at least 2-5 times more likely to develop lung cancer than someone who does not, even if you do not inhale. Worse still, if you inhale the strong cigar smoke, you are 11 times more likely to develop the condition.

Like pipe smoking, cigar smoking also increases your risk of several cancers, including cancer of the mouth, larynx (voice box) and esophagus. If you smoke cigars, your risk of developing cancer of the head or neck is equal to that of a cigarette smoker.

Due to the alkaline nature of the tobacco used to make cigars, even holding an unlit cigar in your mouth can expose you to nicotine and its harmful effects.

Further information:

Cancer

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Is it ok to smoke mild or light cigarettes?

Smoking (quitting)

Where can I get help with quitting smoking?

Why is smoking addictive?