Chemicals in Cigarettes

There are so many harmful chemicals in cigarettes that it's amazing that people still smoke. Lawsuits are trying to be passed in the US to hold the tobacco companies responsible for the bad effects of long-term smoking. Here are some of the chemicals:

Benzene: This is colorless cyclic hydrocarbon that comes from coal and petroleum. It is actually contained in cigarette smoke. Known as a carcinogen it can cause some forms of cancer including leukemia.

Formaldehyde: This is more known as embalming fluid, and this is also found in cigarette smoke. Besides causing cancer, it causes respiratory, skin and intestinal problems as well.

Amonia: Believe it or not, the same thing you use to clean your toilet, is used in cigarettes. It frees the nicotine from the tobacco. It also has a lot to do with the cigarette's flavoring.

Acetone: The same thing used to remove nail polish is found in cigarette smoke.

Tar: Among the very well-known chemicals in cigarettes, tar is a particulate taken into the lungs when inhaled. The lungs receive about 70% of the tar.

Nicotine: Also used as an insecticide, this is the most well-known cigarette chemical, and also is the most addictive substance known to man. It is a quick-acting medical and non-medical poison. This is the chemical that causes the addiction. It's frightening to know that it's also used to kill insects.

Carbon Monoxide: This is also the car exhaust fumes that kill people while running their engines inside a closed garage. It's the main gas in cigarette smoke and is formed as soon as the cigarette is lit. This is a fatal gas used in large amounts, so the heavier the smoker, the more dangerous the smoking becomes.

These are the main chemicals in cigarettes. To help quit smoking, it could be good to try the smokeless cigarettes or the electronic cigarettes.