| Cigars, which probably originated in Spain, have been | | | | smoke also contains ammonia, tar and benzene. |
| embedded in popular culture and social life all around | | | | Ammonia is known to increase the addictive nature of |
| Europe and America for several centuries. Today | | | | tobacco. Tar is a sticky substance which can cause |
| cigar smoking is considered to be as elitist as | | | | paralysis of the lung. Benzene is a carcinogen. Smoke |
| wine-tasting. It has become one of the idiosyncrasies | | | | emanating from a cigar also contains harmful metals |
| of those in the upward rungs of society. | | | | like lead and cadmium, both of which are banned in |
| The major attraction of cigars is in their method of | | | | food products in many countries. In all, there are about |
| manufacture. Even today, most cigars are wrapped | | | | 4,000 chemicals in cigar smoke, 43 of which are |
| by hand. Cigars contain three types of tobacco leaves | | | | proven carcinogens. Cigars are smoked in a unique |
| - one for the external wrapping, second for the inner | | | | manner. A cigar smoker swirls the smoke inside the |
| filler and a third one for binding the filler together. | | | | mouth and then exhales it. A connoisseur of cigars |
| Hence, cigar smoke contains a unique blend of three | | | | would never inhale the cigar fumes. This has led to the |
| types of tobacco flavors, quite unlike cigarette smoke | | | | misconception that cigars are harmless. However, it |
| which contains only one type of tobacco.Cigars can | | | | has been seen that cigars also cause of cancers, |
| be flavored. There are chocolate, apple, vanilla and | | | | emphysema and cardiovascular disorders. The |
| coffee-flavored cigars. People who smoke cigars | | | | incidences of death are fewer than those among |
| savor these various essences. A good quality cigar | | | | cigarette smokers, but higher than those of |
| smoke will have just a fragrant flavor without any | | | | nonsmokers.Also, a cigar is smoked for a longer period |
| smoky aftertaste. Classic Cuban cigars, in fact, have | | | | of time. A single cigar can introduce as many of the |
| no smoky taste at all.However, the tobacco leaves | | | | harmful ingredients within the body as a whole pack of |
| that go into the making of a cigar contain nicotine. | | | | cigarettes. Even though cigars may use filters and |
| Nicotine is an artificial stimulant of the nervous system. | | | | flavors to mask the disastrous effect, they are still |
| It creates a false feeling of euphoria. More | | | | fatally addictive. |
| dangerously, nicotine is an addictive carcinogen. Cigar | | | | |