Sunday May 31, 2009

4000 chemicals in cigarettes

ACCORDING to http://www.quit-smoking-stop.com/
harmful-chemicals-in-cigarettes.html, tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals.

“At least 43 are known carcinogens (cause cancer in humans),” it adds, quoting the Health Education Authority (UK) - Lifesaver, as the source.

The following are among the carcinogens in tobacco smoke:

Benzene (petrol additive)

A colourless cyclic hydrocarbon obtained from coal and petroleum, used as a solvent in fuel and in chemical manufacture - and contained in cigarette smoke. It is a known carcinogen and is associated with leukaemia.

Formaldehyde (embalming fluid)

A colourless liquid, highly poisonous, used to preserve dead bodies - also found in cigarette smoke. Known to cause cancer, respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal problems.

Ammonia (toilet cleaner)

Used as a flavouring; frees nicotine from tobacco turning it into a gas; found in dry cleaning fluids.

Acetone (nail polish remover)

Fragrant volatile liquid ketone; used as a solvent, for example, nail polish remover – found in cigarette smoke.

Tar

Particulate matter drawn into lungs when you inhale on a lighted cigarette. Once inhaled, smoke condenses and about 70% of the tar in the smoke is deposited in the smoker’s lungs.

Nicotine (insecticide/addictive drug)

One of the most addictive substances known to man; a powerful and fast-acting medical and non-medical poison. This is the chemical that causes addiction.

Carbon Monoxide (car exhaust fumes)

An odourless, tasteless and poisonous gas, rapidly fatal in large amounts – it’s the same gas that comes out of car exhausts and is the main gas in cigarette smoke, formed when the cigarette is lit.

Others you may recognise are :

Arsenic (rat poison),

Arsenic finds its way into cigarette smoke through some of the pesticides that are used in tobacco farming.

Cadmium

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal that is used in batteries. Smokers typically have twice as much cadmium in their bodies as non-smokers.

Hydrogen Cyanide (gas chamber poison)

Hydrogen cyanide was used to kill people in the gas chambers in Nazi Germany during World War II.

See http://www.quit-smoking-stop.com/harmful-chemicals-in-cigarettes.html and

http://quitsmoking.about.com/
od/chemicalsinsmoke/a/chemicalshub.htm for more details.