Toxins in Tobbacco

Do you know what is in your cigarette? Recently I was questioned about why the cigarette makers put arsenic in their products. While there are many things to consider while using tobacco products, and many research and informational groups try to cover what chemicals are inherently in the natural tobacco used to make the products, there are other chemicals besides these that you might want to know about. Here is a short list:

• Pesticides – The chemicals used to combat bugs can linger on the tobacco leaves after processing. These may include arsenic and lead based pesticides.
• Additives – These are food additives that have been approved by the FDA, however these additives were not designed to be burned and inhaled as you do when you smoke a cigarette. The act of burning a chemical often times changes the chemicals properties exposing you to new compounds that researchers have yet to find the dangers of.
• Puffed Tobacco – This kind of tobacco is found in “light” cigarettes and goes through a chemical process that actually puffs the dried leaves like you would Styrofoam by saturating it with carbon dioxide, then heating it to evaporate the chemical. His results in a “light” tobacco leaf.
• Flavorings – These range from menthol to cocoa and are designed to make for a more enjoyable smoke, but what we don’t really know exactly is what these, and the propylene glycol that goes with them, create.

Of course we know smoking is dangerous, that’s why we want to quit, but do the manufacturers need to up the ante by putting all these other chemicals in them as well? In the coming weeks I’ll let you in on some of the current legislation reguarding tobacco use and production. Stay tuned!