Health Issues from Cigar Smoking?

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Permalink Reply by Gregory Munford on October 4, 2008 at 12:23am

I appreciate the candor of this discussion. I’m new to cigars & loving it. But I must confess the health concern nags at me. It seems pretty clear that smoking 2-3 a week is pretty safe. But I’m finding it hard not to smoke a least daily. And while I agree that while your body generally tells you when too much is too much, to me cancer (oral, not lung since we don’t inhale) is the real scare because it creeps up without much warning.

I’m not into risk-free living (which = barely living). But still, I don’t like being in the dark – and the chip on the shoulders of the anti-smoking nannies undermines their credibility. They gleefully tell you how much cigars increase your chance of oral cancer over non smokers. But what they don’t tell you is what the actual odds are of getting oral cancer for cigar smokers vs non smokers. E.g., my chances of getting hit by lighting may increase 400% by going outdoors in a storm – but the odds of getting struck is still probably only 1,000 to one. So yes, the risk is much greater…but still it’s not much of a risk.

Anybody know any studies that focus on the size of the risk– rather than the increase of the risk for oral cancer? (I’ll go light up the that nice fat CAO Mx2 calling out to me and check back in a couple of hours.)

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Permalink Reply by JMMasterson on December 17, 2008 at 10:23pm

Thanks to all for a fantastic discussion on this! It has been really reassuring as a sorta-young (29) cigar smoker that there are so many long-time cigar smokers on here who haven't had health issues. The story about going to the doctor for the battery of tests was really amazing!

I wonder if the forum admin would be willing to move the whole discussion to the new "health issues" forum?

Cheers,
Justin

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Permalink Reply by Shovelgrrrl on December 29, 2008 at 1:55pm

All things in moderation! Enjoying one, or probably even two cigars per day (providing you don't inhale) provides virtually no health risk other than whatever is already present in your heredity and current lifestyle. In fact, at this level, researchers have even questioned "why cigar smokers smoke?" because the ingestion levels of nicotine are sufficiently low as to confound researchers, who believe that "if you're not addicted to nicotine, you wouldn't smoke". We cigar smokers know that the enjoyment of a cigar is a pleasure which does not require nicotine or addition to enjoy. I have smoked one cigar (almost) every day for many years, with no health effects at all.

At the 3-4 cigar per day level, you are exposing yourself to some health risk, although not as great as cigarette smokers. There is one caveat here, if you are smoking "little cigars" typically defined by researchers in a way that we would think of as cigars with ring gauges under 36-40, then your risk is greater. I have not seen a study indicating the reasons for this difference, but smaller cigars carry similar risks to cigarettes. If you're smoking the little guys thinking you're doing yourself a favor, forget it, and go back to robustos.

Finally, if you're smoking 5 or more cigars per day, your health risk factors are almost certainly comparable to someone who smokes a pack of cigarettes per day. Think about the weight and volume of tobacco, not number of sticks - studies are clear that the risks are comparable to cigarette smoking overall. At this rate, your nicotine blood levels are similar to that of a cigarette smoker, the research is quite clear that with five or more cigars per day, you are experiencing significant nicotine levels in your system, and also experience withdrawal symptoms.

So enjoy one or even two cigars per day - and really enjoy them! Don't just shove another cigar in your mouth, but really enjoy the one or two good sticks and be happy with that. And really treat yourself - spend what you were spending on those 4-6+ cigars on just two fine cigars, and really treat yourself.

That being said - I would definiately advise even a light or moderate cigar smoker to quit for a while if you break a bone, or if you are stick with a respiratory infection of any kind. There are numerous studies which clearly show that bone healing is severely impaired by consumption of tobacco in any form - basically, for any tobacco consumption at all, you are slowing bone healing by 3-6 months! The reasons to give your lungs, esophagus, nose and mouth a break from any harsh chemicals, including cigar smoke, while you're fighting an infection is or should be obvious.

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Permalink Reply by Randall T on December 29, 2008 at 3:19pm

JM,
Very good questions. Certainly very heavy cigar smoking is unhealthy and dangerous. Sigmund Freud and Ulysses S. Grant were both high profile heavy cigar smokers that died from smoking. Grant smoked an entire box of cigars a day! Freud smoked nearly that many. The comedian Alan King admitted that he smoked about 12 large cigars each day and had done so for almost 50 years! He was also a cancer victim. So, my point being here, what is moderation to you personally might not be another person's idea of it. At one point I was smoking at least one a day, sometimes 2, before I decided to stop the chain and now just 2-3 a week. From a health standpoint I don't think I am doing myself a favor smoking cigars. If I did not get great enjoyment in the relaxing state of mind it affords me I would just quit.

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Permalink Reply by ryoga81 on December 29, 2008 at 4:26pm

I've had several family and friends that smoked cigars for years and never once have I heard of any direct health problems related to cigar smoking, either directly or second hand.

On the other hand, I've known a few people that have problems after being cigarette smokers. My grandmother had a five-way heart bypass surgery stemming from hardening of arteries from years of cigarette smoking.

Despite not being exactly "healthy", they're far better for you than cigarettes.

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Permalink Reply by Charming Karl, Cookie King on December 29, 2008 at 5:02pm

I heard a story of a friend of a friend's dad getting cancer in his jaw from lifelong cigarsmoking - the kind of guy who was always chomping on his cigar and never took it out of his mouth. The doctors had to remove part of his lower jaw and much of his cheek on that side of his face - quite disturbing.

But again, I think he smoked excessively, probably smoked cheap cigars, and never took the damn thing out of his mouth. Probably pretty similar to the effects of excessive tobacco chewing.

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Permalink Reply by ryoga81 on December 29, 2008 at 6:19pm

Yet another reason why I don't chew my cigars. I can't stand the tip getting all soggy and falling apart. Any time I finish a cigar, it feels like I just clipped it...bone dry to the touch.

The worst is when I let other people try my cigars and they don't know how to take a drag off it any other way except the way they do it : by sticking it way in their mouth and handing it back to me soggy....hate that.

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Permalink Reply by Eric The Flippin Amazing on December 29, 2008 at 4:51pm

Smoking will kill you - stop now and send me all your cigars. I AM TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!

:)

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Permalink Reply by Herfin BigDog Cigar Enthusionado on December 29, 2008 at 5:52pm

Pshaw!

I know a mooch when I read one! That there's a mooch for those of you who are unknowing. ;-]

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