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Friday, 15 October, 1999, 11:45 GMT 12:45 UK
Cigarettes: a complex cocktail of chemicals
Smoking a cigarette is one of the most unhealthy things a human can do.
Nicotine constricts the blood vessels, raising blood pressure and increasing the strain on the heart. Thirty per cent of all cancer deaths can be attributed to smoking. Cancers other than lung cancer which are linked to smoking include:
But cigarettes are not just made of tar, tobacco and nicotine. More than 600 additives can legally be added to tobacco products. These include coffee extract, sugar, vanilla, cocoa, menthol, oil from clove stems, caramel and chorophyll, the compound that gives plants their green colour. Many appear to be present simply to add flavour. But they may also have more sinister effects. For example, cocoa when burned in a cigarette produces bromine gas that dilates the airways of the lung, and increases the body's ability to absorb nicotine. Menthol is also suspected of enabling the smoker to inhale more easily by numbing the throat. Researchers claim that other additives have been expertly developed by tobacco companies to manipulate the delivery of nicotine with extreme precision. Techniques employed by tobacco companies include:
There is also concern about the so-called "burn enhancers" that cause cigarettes to remain ignited and may lead to additional fire hazards. The tobacco companies have also developed ways to increase the nicotine content of cigarettes. These include:
Other additives may cause harm by increasing the use of tobacco. For example, sweeteners such as sugar can also be added to cigarettes, making them more appealing to young people.
"It is incredible that the tobacco industry has been allowed to get away with puting these compounds into their cigarettes without any requirement to say what they are there for." The tobacco manufacturers argue that no compounds can be added to cigarettes without government approval, and agreed levels cannot be increased without permission. |
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17 Feb 99 | Health
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