What Goes Into Commercial Cigarettes?

For many people, cigarettes are merely something that they buy and enjoy without a second thought, but have you wondered what was in the cigarettes that you are smoking?  The truth is, there are more than 500 ingredients in commercially made cigarettes, and they will do everything from keeping the cigarette lit to producing a distinctively recognizable smell.  When you are thinking about what is really in your cigarettes, you'll find that some ingredients keep coming up time after time.

When looking at the ingredients in cigarettes, you'll find that you will see a number of chemicals that are designed to kill weeds and insects, including DDT. These chemicals are used to keep the tobacco plants healthy but can take a toll on your own health over an extended period of time.  You will find that there is no good way to get these pesticides out of your cigarettes, and that by ingesting them you can, over time, deplete your immune system's ability to heal itself.

You'll also find that ammonia is a common ingredient that is often added to your cigarette.  Ammonia is toxic, and you may recognize the scent very easily; it is a common ingredient for use in commercial cleansers.  For cigarettes, you'll find that ammonia is used to help the  nicotine get absorbed through your lungs more quickly.  You'll find that this can give your cigarette more of a punch, and your brain will be able to process a larger amount of nicotine with each puff.

You will also find that there are a number of chemicals that have been added to your store-bought cigarettes in order to improve the smell or to make them feel smoother when you smoke them.  For instance, cadmium, which is frequently used in paints, appears in cigarettes, but is commonly linked to lung and prostate cancer.  Similarly, benzene, which is linked to leukemia, and formaldehyde, which is linked to lung cancer, will appear as well.  Most of these chemicals have a preservative quality, giving the cigarettes a longer shelf life.

When you are considering what you can do to reduce your health risk when it comes to cigarettes, you will find that switching to hand-rolled cigarettes might be the key.  While many people feel that hand-rolling cigarettes is old-fashioned or too much trouble, you'll soon see that there are a number of reasons to roll your cigarettes. You'll be able to have more control over the finished product, and you'll find that you have a better understanding of smoking itself.  You'll find that the only way to really be sure about what you are smoking is to grow it and dry it yourself!

Read On... Tobacco Growing Made Easy.